


Relative Safety

by Devils_Official



Series: Askbox Fics [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Consensual Sex, Damn Voltron back at it again with the war crimes, Drinking, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, I promise, M/M, Master/Slave, Miscommunication, Possessive Sex, Shiro Has No Idea What’s Going On, Size Difference, Threesome - M/M/M, belly bulge, now with plot, they’re both into it so it’s ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2019-08-22 12:54:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16598300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devils_Official/pseuds/Devils_Official
Summary: In which Lotor is injured during the Kral Zera, Sendak makes a Questionable Decision, and things work out ok





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another tumblr askbox fic. I do love a good Lodak AU ;)  
> “ Lotor gets caught up in the explosion at the Kral Zera and hits his head really hard against the stairs, Sen needs to save him and the only way he can is by becoming emperor and claiming Lotor as his slave/spoil of war and make the doctors save him and he feels terrible about it because he respects Lotor so much and this is unworthy of him  
> And he never wanted to be emperor, he wanted Lotor to be, the only thing he wanted was to be by his side and he feels dishonorable for doing this to Lotor, even though he knows that Lotor trusts him and would understand. And then Lotor wakes up and he’s in the imperial suite in bed and not in a cell with too-bright lights and Sen is next to him and he tells him what happened and he’s so apologetic and Lotor doesn’t give af because he’s here and Sendak is here and they’ll figure out the rest  
> And there’s a cuddly and soft reunion and telling Sendak about all the things that happened and maybe shedding a tear or two and Sendak holding him throughout the entire thing and reflecting on the irony that he’s safer as a slave with Sendak than as an ally with Voltron (maybe some bitterness). And then Lotor being Lotor would be like “... so what are you gonna do with your slave tonight” (hey, he hasn’t been able to get dicked down for a while, he deserves some time with his husband)”

It had been going really well up until the explosion. 

Sendak cursed under his breath. Lotor hadn’t accounted for this.

_ Shit shit shit _

Sendak picked himself up and looked around for Lotor. His ears were ringing, but otherwise, he wasn’t too worried about himself. 

He caught sight of Lotor, sprawled face-down at the foot of the stairs where’d he landed, making no attempt to pick himself up. 

The only indication that he was even still alive was the shallow rise and fall of his chest.

But he was alive. 

Sendak needed a plan. The pool of blood Lotor was lying in was only getting bigger, and he didn’t have much time. 

Gods, who would even try to sabotage the Kral Zera? 

He wanted to rush to Lotor’s side, but he was no medic; he wouldn’t be able to help much. 

Others were attempting their luck in lighting the Flame, and if Sendak let that happen, then everything Lotor had worked for would be for nothing. 

So. If Lotor couldn’t be Emperor…

And he’d told Sendak as much, before, when they’d talked about it, late at night.

The threat he’d made to Lotor had only been a bluff for the sake of their audience, but others would try to make good on it.  _ When I’m the Emperor, I’m going to keep you as my slave.  _

Sendak wasn’t about to let that happen. 

The rest of the fighting was a blur, his mind far too occupied for worry for Lotor, but he didn’t need to think to fight; Lotor was the only one who could really challenge him anyway. 

He did not even take a moment to enjoy the feeling of this accomplishment; how could he, with Lotor-?

Instead, he commandeered a few medical officers and directed them to help Lotor.

“If he dies,” Sendak told them, “so do you.”

“With all due respect, Sire,” one of the medics began, “he’s a traitor and a-“

“I’m claiming him as my slave,” Sendak said. “And that’s all you need to know. Keep him alive or you will regret it.”

He hated having to speak about Lotor like that, but this was the only way he could keep him safe. Lotor would almost certainly understand, but.

It was hard watching the medics tend to him as they carefully checked his spine for fractures, as they turned him over and got him on a stretcher.

It was harder seeing Lotor like this, limp and unconscious and hurt.

Seriously hurt. Galra medical technology was good, but it couldn’t fix everything. And if Lotor  _ died- _

He didn’t want to think about that. He just had to hope that Lotor would be fine. He was strong and resilient. He’d recover from this. 

* * *

Waking up brought dull pain and confusion with it.

Lotor didn’t know where he was.

For one thing, he was warm and comfortable, surrounded by veritable clouds of softness. On the castle-ship, he’d had one thin blanket. 

His whole body ached distantly. He didn’t remember how that had happened, but his headache probably had something to do with that. Head trauma would make it difficult to recall…

He opened his eyes, finally, having put it off because he was expecting the sharp, too-bright lights of the castle-ship.

Instead, they were soft and purple. Galra purple. 

If he was in Galra custody, then why was he not in a cell, awaiting death or worse for the crime of being a traitor? 

This was no cell. 

He was tempted to close his eyes again and sort this out later, after he’d slept some more, but he couldn’t, not without knowing…

“Lotor?” 

Lotor turned sharply, grimacing at the pain that shot through him.

He relaxed instantly. “Sendak. Where-? What happened?” His mouth was dry, and it was difficult to speak, but he needed to know.

Sendak sat in a chair he’d pulled up to the bedside. Too far away, in Lotor’s opinion. He looked exhausted. “There was a sabotage attempt during the Kral Zera. Someone set explosives to go off, and you were hurt.”

That explained it. Part of it. Didn’t explain why Sendak was so reluctant to touch him, or even look at him, like he was ashamed of something. 

“And?” Lotor asked. He really needed something to drink. He’d have to sit up first, though, and he didn’t think he could do that on his own. 

“I  lit the flame, and then I had to… Lotor, I’m sorry, I really am, you deserve better than this…”

Lotor knew that Sendak would never hurt him. “What did you do?”

“I -You were very badly hurt. You were  _ dying _ , and you needed medical attention, and- There was no time. I had to claim you as a- a slave. As my property, so I could order someone to help you. I’m sorry, it was the only way, I couldn’t lose you…”

“Is that all?” Lotor asked, relaxing back into the bed. “Darling, I don’t care… You’ve always respected me more than anyone else. We’ll figure this out. I’m just… I’m glad you’re here.”

“Are you?” Sendak asked, and it was so wrong to see him so apologetic and worried. 

“I am,” Lotor said firmly. “Help me sit up.”

Sendak did, his touch light and tentative and far too unsure. 

But finally Lotor had a glass pressed to his lips, and he drank his fill. The water had been laced with something for the pain, and it only took a moment for it to hit his system.

He sank back into the bed, warm and safe and free of pain. The only thing that could make it better was if he could convince Sendak to get over here.

“Come here,” Lotor said softly. “I miss you, all the way over there.”

“I- I don’t want you to think that I’m going to take advantage of you,” Sendak said. “You’re my slave, Lotor, gods… They all think I’m going to-“

“You could do anything you wanted to me,” Lotor said, “but I know you won’t. You love me, and that hasn’t changed. I’ve trusted you for a very long time, and I know that if you had other options, you would have taken them. But the fact is, you saved my life, and my...position here is only temporary. I won’t be your slave forever, darling. I won’t forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive; you did what you needed to do, and now I am safe and alive and whole.”

“You’re not...angry, or- or-?”

“Gods, no, Sendak. I love you and I understand why you did it. You had the very best intentions, and it’s not like you expect me to actually be your slave. Did you think that I would be angry?”

“I...wasn’t sure. But I couldn’t just let you die, either.”

“I appreciate that,” Lotor said drily. “Now come over here.”

“You need your rest.”

“And I always rest better in your arms, darling. I missed you. I didn’t know what had happened to you, Sendak, and I… I was so worried, as you must have been, waiting here at my bedside.”

Sendak nodded, and tentatively crawled into the bed next to Lotor. 

Lotor’s limbs felt heavy -a side effect of the pain medication -but he still managed to press himself as close to Sendak as possible. 

Sendak wrapped his arm around him finally and Lotor started purring, partially in order for his body to heal itself more quickly, yes, but also because this was his very favorite place to be, here in Sendak’s arms. 

Lotor rubbed his cheek against the side of Sendak’s neck. “I love you, Sendak.”

“I love you too.” He kissed the top of Lotor’s head. “We’ll talk later, when you wake up, alright?”

Lotor hummed an affirmation and drifted off. 

* * *

Sendak was still there when Lotor woke, and that was the best feeling in the universe. He was safe here; with Sendak protecting him, no one could ever harm him.

“Feeling better?” Sendak asked.

“Mostly,” Lotor said. Still sore, but otherwise he was alright. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” 

Lotor purred happily. “Don’t you have duties to attend to?”

“You’re the one who wanted me to stay here with you,” Sendak huffed. “And no, it’s been taken care of.”

“Mm, good. I missed you.”

“You said that already.”

“Well, it’s true. I-“ Lotor grimaced. He didn’t keep secrets from Sendak; everyone else, yes, but not Sendak. And that included his emotional states. “I thought I was going to die,” he said quietly. “I didn’t want to die without seeing you again, and no one knew where you were or if you were alright, and I-“

He starting sobbing, clutching tightly onto Sendak, and Sendak let him cry, murmuring soothing nothings and rubbing his back, like he always did.

He couldn’t stop himself, even if he wanted to; he knew he’d feel better once he let it all out. 

So he cried until he couldn’t anymore. 

Sendak helped him sit up and gave him a glass of water.

“It’s just water,” Sendak said. “Do you need any pain relief?”

Lotor shook his head. He was feeling much better than earlier. “Maybe later,” he said. If nothing else, it would help him sleep. ”They… they made me fight my father, Sendak.”

“I know,” Sendak said grimly.

“They weren’t going to arm me,” Lotor continued, curling himself up against Sendak’s chest once more. “They were going to make me just… go out there, all alone, as if they didn’t know what he was going to do to me. The Black Bayard wasn’t part of the plan, and… And it almost wasn’t enough. I was so  _ afraid… _ ” 

“He is never going to hurt you again,” Sendak said. “ _ No one _ is ever going to hurt you again.” 

“They accused me of trying to save my own skin,” he said softly. “Like _ I  _ was in the wrong, for wanting to live. For even existing, maybe. I thought I was safe there…” 

“You’re safe here,” Sendak murmured. He finally, finally embraced Lotor the way he needed, firmly and comfortingly. “I am going to make sure that nothing like that ever happens to you again.”

“I know.” He never felt safer than he did here, in Sendak’s arms. “It is ironic that I am safer here, as the Emperor’s slave, than I ever was as an ally of the ‘defenders of the universe’.” 

“You should have been the Emperor,” Sendak said. “I don’t- You should be on the throne. And then you could-“

“You will be a fine Emperor, my darling. And I will be at your side, as your Prince Consort. We’re together at last, and that is the important thing.” 

“You’re right,” Sendak said finally.

“I usually am,” Lotor said, rubbing his cheek against Sendak’s shoulder. 

“Did they hurt you, otherwise?” Sendak asked. “The Paladins? Did they do anything else to you, other than make you fight your father?”

Lotor had known that Sendak was going to ask eventually; he sighed anyway. “Not...intentionally. I hesitate to ascribe real malice to them; I’ve fought them previously and the kindest thing I can say about them is that they are bumbling idiots. So. No, they did not intend to hurt me. They didn’t torture me, if that’s what you mean. I was imprisoned, yes, and yes, Altean technology was not designed with nocturnal species in mind, so I couldn’t really sleep. And even after everything I did for them, they still…But. I suppose they feel that they did nothing wrong.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“If someone surrendered to you, asking for asylum, would it be right and appropriate to trade them back to the very person from which they needed protection?”

“No,” Sendak said angrily.

Lotor had nothing to fear from Sendak’s anger; it wasn’t directed at him, and even if it had been… Sendak had never laid a hand on him out of anger. 

But the paladins…  _ They _ should be afraid. 

“So. That’s what happened. Honestly, it could have been much worse, I suppose. They did arm me at the last minute, so I suppose I should be grateful. At least I had a chance that way.”

“You never should have been in that situation to begin with,” Sendak growled. “You could have been killed; would they have taken responsibility for that?”

“Gods, no,” Lotor said. He found it difficult to imagine that the mighty Paladins of Voltron would ever feel the need to take responsibility for anything. “But, in some ways, their careless disregard for my life is somewhat helpful; I cannot imagine that they would bother sending someone to rescue me.”

“For all they know,” Sendak growled, “you are being tortured right now. Enslaved and -and  _ raped _ and who knows what else. If I hadn’t… you probably would be.”

“Like I said,” Lotor said, “careless disregard for my life, and the lives of anyone they don’t have a direct connection to. I do hope it makes it hard for them to sleep at night, but I won’t hold my breath.”

“It’s dangerous,” Sendak insisted. “They are going to destroy  _ everything _ with their recklessness.”

“We’re not going to let them,” Lotor said. “The resources of the Empire are behind us now. My father was a short-sighted fool, but you are not, and I am not. Together…” He smiled. “Together, we can accomplish whatever we put our minds to.” 

He stroked Sendak’s cheek, and then, slowly, leaned in, until their lips were just a hair's breadth apart. “Kiss me, darling. I missed you.”

Sendak looked conflicted, so Lotor leaned even closer, and Sendak warmed up to it after a moment, slowly and deeply claiming Lotor’s mouth.

Lotor melted into it. The last several months had been difficult, not only because Sendak had been missing, although that certainly hadn’t helped matters. It had been a long time since he’d been able to relax like this. 

Sendak finally pulled away, though he didn’t go far. “I swear to you that no one is ever going to hurt you again.”

Lotor pressed their foreheads together. It was so incredible that he had found this kind of love, and after everything that had happened, it was good to return to this. “I know. I know that you are always on my side, no matter what happens.”

”Even after this?”

“Even after this.” Lotor kissed him again. “I love you, Sendak.”

“I love you too,” Sendak murmured. 

Lotor smiled, and, well… Now that he was safe and well and reunited with his husband… “Earlier, you said that you didn’t want me to think that you were going to take advantage of me. What if… I wanted you to?”

“Lotor…” Sendak chided.

“There is very little you could do that I would find objectionable, I think,” Lotor murmured. “You, specifically, because you know that there are things I would never tolerate from anyone else.”

“I don’t want you to ‘tolerate’ anything,” Sendak huffed. “I want you to fully enjoy… And anyway, you’re still recovering.”

“I’m fine,” Lotor protested. “And I want you.”

Sendak sighed, the way he did when he knew he couldn’t win an argument. “What do you want me to do?”

Lotor lowered his eyes and tilted his head to one side, submissively. “That’s up to you, Sire. I am your slave, for you to use as you wish.” 

Sendak could have protested this as much as he wanted, but his sharp inhale of breath was proof positive that he was just as into this as Lotor was. He rapidly hardening cock was also a pretty good indication. 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Sendak said.

Lotor laid back, spreading his legs. He still wore a simple grey bodysuit, but he imagined that Sendak’s claws would make very short work of that. 

Sendak was over him, kissing him, in an instant, more roughly than before. 

It was perfect, especially when Sendak tangled a hand in his hair and pulled, forcing a moan out of Lotor. 

Then Sendak’s mouth was on his throat, biting and claiming, visible reminders to anyone and everyone that he was Sendak’s.

“You are mine,” Sendak growled. “All mine.”

“Yes, Sire,” Lotor breathed. “So what are you going to do with your  _ slave _ ?”

Sendak bit at his collarbone,  _ hard _ . “I am going to make sure you  _ never _ forget who you belong to.” 

Lotor shivered, and anticipation built low in his belly.

Sendak pulled back. “Turn over,” he ordered, and Lotor scrambled to obey, barely flipping onto his belly before Sendak’s claws were tearing through the thin material of his bodysuit. He was careful, but his claws still grazed Lotor’s skin, leaving him breathless. 

Then Sendak pulled his hips back and up, leaving him unbalanced and flailing; Sendak gave him absolutely no time at all before he began pressing the tip of his cock against Lotor’s entrance.

Lotor couldn’t catch his breath. Sendak was so  _ big _ , the stretch indescribable and yet so perfect. Exactly what he needed. 

He yelled wordlessly as Sendak bottomed out, giving him no time to adjust whatsoever; he didn’t need or want it, anyway. 

Sendak bit at the back of Lotor’s neck, another overwhelming sensation, as he began fucking Lotor, hard and fast and deep. 

It was good, but Lotor just needed… He reached down between his legs, but Sendak noticed and caught both is wrists in the unbreakable grip of his prosthetic.

“We’re not here for your pleasure,” he growled, pinning Lotor’s arms above his head. “You come on my cock, or not at all. Do you understand?” 

“Y-Yes, Sire,” Lotor gasped. 

Sendak nipped one of his ears, sharper than he normally would. 

Lotor writhed, whining.

“You’re so pretty,” Sendak growled. “Everyone’s going to be envious of me, with such a pretty thing keeping my bed warm. Maybe they’ll ask if they can borrow you for a night. Would you like that?”

“N-no, Sire. Only you…”

“That’s right. You’re mine, and I don’t share. Especially not such a lovely, delicate creature.”

Lotor came with a breathless cry, pure pleasure fogging his mind. A few more thrusts had Sendak coming, too, and Lotor whined, oversensitive.

Sendak maneuvered them so that they were on their sides, Lotor’s back to his chest. He nuzzled Lotor’s neck, and Lotor hummed in lazy satisfaction.

“You know that I respect you, right?” Sendak asked.

“Yes, of course,” Lotor said. He nestled further into Sendak’s embrace. “Gods, darling, I wouldn’t have married you if you didn’t.”

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No,” Lotor said. “Although I think you did wear me out.”

“I’m so sor-“

“Don’t be,” Lotor said, turning over just enough to kiss Sendak on the cheek. “I like how possessive you are, darling. I like knowing that I am yours, and that you will defend me from everyone and everything that tries to harm me. I’ve never felt safer or more loved than when I am with you.”

“Good,” Sendak said. “I never want you to doubt my love for you.”

”You’ve never given me reason to,” Lotor said. He closed his eyes and started purring. Sendak really had worn him out, and everything else could wait. 

Sendak pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, and he fell asleep easily. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro attempts to rescue Lotor; Lotor doesn’t want or need to be rescued.

“We can’t just...leave him there,” Shiro said urgently. “We have to rescue him.”

“It’s far too dangerous,” Allura said calmly. She seemed far too calm, in fact. Almost like she was pleased by this turn of events.

“We don’t know what Sendak is going to do to him!” Shiro said. “Maybe he’s being tortured right now, or worse, and you’re just going to  _ leave him _ ?”

“Shiro, this is far too dangerous. We cannot rescue someone from Central Command, especially not someone as high-profile as Lotor.”

“We’ve done it for you!” 

She drew herself up, the very image of a spoiled princess. “There will be no rescue attempt,” she said coldly, “and that is final. If he manages to escape on his own, I suppose we could aid him, but he must get this far first.”

Shiro shook his head in disgust and stormed off. 

This was his fault, more than anyone else’s, and he wanted to make it right. He’d brought Lotor to the Kral Zera, he’d been unable to protect him, he’d been unable to rescue him when he’d had the chance.

Instead, Sendak had scooped him up and made off with him as soon as the flame had been lit. And now…

Allura was right. At least partially. Sneaking into and out of Central Command would be dangerous. But… what choice did he have?

If the Blade of Marmora hadn’t tried to sabotage the Kral Zera in the first place…

No, that wasn’t fair. If they had sat down and coordinated this, they would have succeeded, and Lotor would be on the throne right now, and the war would be over. Why didn’t anyone else understand that? 

So he had to fix this. 

* * *

Shiro had no idea what to expect when he broke into the Imperial Suite. Sendak hadn’t been parading Lotor around in public, hadn’t been showing him off, and apparently, no one had seen him for weeks. Not since the Kral Zera. 

It was somehow worse that way, Shiro’s imagination conjuring up all sorts of awful things that might have been done to him.

But the intelligence Shiro had said he was here, and he was alive. And that was all anyone knew for sure. 

Shiro didn’t know Lotor very well, but he could tell that he had a good heart, that he was just doing his best; he didn’t deserve this. Whatever  _ this _ was.

The Imperial Suite was decorated with the sort of Galra spartan-ness Shiro had come to expect. Straight lines and dim lighting and function over form.

He searched each room, though he knew, with a sinking heart, exactly where Lotor would be. He didn’t quite want to face it, so he saved the bedroom for last.

The bedroom was different. The lighting was a little softer, and there were soft fabric drapes lending it an almost intimate, romantic atmosphere. The furniture had traces of gold, and the fabrics were expensive; these were the only traces of opulence. It was practically tasteful.

Finally,  _ finally _ , Shiro made himself look at the bed.

Lotor lounged there, a small bowl set to one side, a tablet in hand. He didn’t appear to notice Shiro at first, but he did seem...unharmed. Physically, at least.  

He wasn’t restrained in any way, either, though Shiro had been prepared to do whatever it took to free him. 

It almost seemed too easy. 

He crossed the room. “Lotor,” he whispered urgently. “We have to go,  _ now _ .” 

Lotor flinched, then looked up at him. “Shiro?”

“There’s no time to explain,” Shiro insisted. “Come on.” He grabbed Lotor’s wrist and pulled him to his feet. 

Lotor frowned thoughtfully, but he could think whatever he wanted, as long as they got out of here as quickly as possible. It was only a matter of time before Shiro’s pod was discovered. 

“I’ll explain once we’re on our way back to the Castle,” Shiro added, knowing that Lotor liked to know what was going on.

Lotor stopped dead. “This is a...rescue?” He asked.

“What else would it be?” Shiro asked, exasperated. “Come on, we have to go.”

“I will not set foot aboard your brightly-lit coffin,” Lotor said, pulling his wrist free. “If I do, I fear I will never leave it again. Not alive, at any rate.”

“What are you talking about?” Shiro asked. 

“I will not be your prisoner again. There has been such a- a blatant and reckless disregard for my life, despite the fact that I was your ally. You treated me like a piece of meat, after all I did for you. Remember, if it weren’t for me, Zarkon would still be alive.”

“You  _ are _ our ally,” Shiro insisted. “We’re… We’re  _ trying _ , ok? And I’m here, aren’t I?”

Lotor smiled thinly. “Do you hear that, Shiro?”

Shiro frowned. “No…?”

“No alarms. You came alone.” His smile grew sharper. “Voltron is not known for its stealth; it would have been discovered by now. So you came alone, to help me once again, without the knowledge or approval of your team. Tell me again why I should place myself at your mercy?”

“It has to be better than this!” Shiro said. “The cell isn’t great, but no one will hurt you. No one will-“

Lotor sighed. “Shiro, in the short time I’ve known you, you have very nearly managed to gain my trust, which is not an easy thing to do. You’ve gone against your team several times now, for my sake, so I… I feel confident that anything I tell you now will stay between us.”

“Yes?” Shiro said. 

“I’m here because I want to be. I’m not in any danger whatsoever, and I am much safer here than anywhere else. I’m still trying to figure out how you got in here in the first place; the security is supposed to be impenetrable.”

“You  _ want _ to be here?” 

Lotor nodded. “It’s not exactly ideal, but… yes. Given my other options.”

“How could you want to be _Sendak’s_ _slave_ over-?” 

Lotor grimaced and sat down on the bed. “Try this,” he said, offering the bowl to Shiro.

Shiro took one of the… he wasn’t entirely sure, exactly, but Lotor took one, too, and popped it into his mouth, so it was (probably) safe to eat. 

He took one and nibbled at it cautiously. 

It was  _ good _ . Meaty, like savory broth, but with a nice texture -not too soft or too chewy -that seemed to melt in his mouth. 

“Better than food goo, isn’t it,” Lotor said drily. 

“You’re staying for the  _ food? _ ” 

Lotor snorted. “Gods, no. There are just… things you don’t understand, Shiro. That’s all.”

“Then explain to me why you’d rather be Sendak’s slave than our ally!”

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Lotor said sharply. “In any case, I am a slave in name only. This is a… ruse, I suppose. Sendak and I have an understanding.”

“An  _ understanding _ ?” Shiro said incredulously. “He’s-“

“Shiro, please sit down,” Lotor said sternly. “Why can you not trust me when I tell you that I am perfectly safe? Why do you continue to try to take me away from here?” 

“Because you aren’t! You must have Stockholm syndrome, or-“

“I don’t know what that is,” Lotor said.

“It’s when you develop feelings for your captor.”

“Oh. Well. Perhaps I have, then.” He smiled softly. “We are married, after all.”

“He forced you to  _ marry _ him?” What a sick bastard. 

“What? No, we- we’ve been married for a long time. I assure you, Shiro, Sendak will do nothing to harm me. This is, however, the only way he can protect me right now. The only way he can keep me out of the witch’s lab. Once she’s dead, it will be different.” 

“You’re  _ married _ ? To  _ Sendak _ ?” Shiro finally did sit down at that, because it was difficult to imagine that anyone would want to marry Sendak. “And just because you’re married, doesn’t mean he won’t… hurt you, or…“

“Does marriage mean so little on Earth? Among the Galra, it is one of the very highest commitments one can make. We pledge our hearts, our very selves, to our spouses, until death, and after. Sendak would rather gnaw his remaining arm off than harm me, and the feeling is mutual.”

“...oh.”

“Mm. And as I’ve said… I do like it better here than in your little cell. I feel rested for the first time in... _ centuries _ . I am well, Shiro, better than well. My well-being need not concern you any further. That’s why you came, isn’t it?”

Shiro nodded. 

“You are a good man, Shiro, and if circumstances were different, perhaps I would go with you. But I am happy and safe here, which is more than you can promise me elsewhere.” And then he smirked. “Besides, my loving husband feels  _ very _ guilty about the way things stand, and uses  _ every _ opportunity to make it up to me.”

“Thanks for sharing,” Shiro said. That was more than he needed to know. He stood. “I guess… I should go. Before I’m discovered.”

“You could stay,” Lotor offered. “Your skills could be useful here, and I’d like to know how you broke in here.”

“I can’t,” Shiro said. “But thank you.”

“The offer is open,” Lotor said, standing. “Anytime.” 

“Thank you,” Shiro repeated, turning to go.

Lotor caught his wrist and took one of his hands in both of his. “Shiro, I want to thank you, for everything you’ve done for me. I know it couldn’t have been easy, going against your team’s wishes to help me, but I- I don’t think I would have survived without your help. Thank you.” 

Shiro finally noticed what Lotor was wearing, which made his very sincere speech difficult to pay attention to.

He’d never seen Lotor in anything but his armor, and now he was wearing… not a whole lot, to be honest. A thin, translucent robe that hung open, and a scrap of the same material around his hips. A few golden piercings in his ears.

And that was it. 

Shiro felt his face grow warm. “You- you’re welcome,” he stammered, trying his best to smile and not stare. 

He left, and… at least now he could sleep at night, his guilt assuaged. At least he hadn’t gotten Lotor hurt or worse. 

* * *

“I meant to ask you about your day earlier,” Sendak said, “but I was distracted.”

“I’m sure,” Lotor said. It was always so much fun to tease Sendak by lounging around the suite in practically nothing. 

Sendak nipped his ear. “You’re going to bankrupt us at this rate, my love.”

“If you would stop ripping things,” Lotor rebuked mildly, “then it wouldn’t be an issue.”

“You always look so... _ delicious _ , though,” Sendak said. He used his grip on Lotor’s hips to make him grind their spent cocks together, although at this rate, there was likely to be a round two shortly. “It’s hard to restrain myself.”

Lotor laughed, nestling against Sendak’s chest and purring. Post-coital naked cuddles were so nice. 

“So how was your day?”

“Good. Restful.”

“You do look less tired.” 

“Sendak?”

“Hm?”

“Of all the places I could be right now, there is no place I’d rather be than here, with you, even given the circumstances.”

Sendak pulled him closer and kissed the top of his head. “It’s not forever, my love. One day soon, you will stand at my side as my consort and equal, in front of everyone who doubted you.”

“Yes,” Lotor said. “I’m looking forward to it. For now, though… I am glad to be here.”

Sendak kissed him on the lips, slow and deep, just a warm-up for what might come later.

“Tomorrow,” Lotor said, when Sendak pulled away to mouth at his throat, “we should see about increasing security.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full prompt: slave!Lotor emperor!Sendak but like with Lotor basically just chillin and helping his husband run the empire from the comfort of their bed. The paladins all know where Lotor is, although there hasn’t been any gloating and parading him around from Sendak.   
> But of course they decide that mounting a rescue is too dangerous or whatever even though they know that their allies caused this. Allura puts her self-righteous foot down (because she’s probably happy they got rid of Lotor but she’d never say that out loud) and no rescue is coming. Except... that Shiro feels guilty As Shit because he brought Lotor to the Kral Zera and he has spent enough time with him to know that he’s a good person and doesn’t deserve Whatever Might Be happening.  
> So he does what he’s been doing the whole time: he sneaks off, cause if he doesn’t do this nobody will and By Fuck Shiro Ain’t About Leaving People Behind. Imagine his face when he sneaks into the royal chambers, fully expecting Lotor to be chained somewhere or something and then he sees him just kinda sitting on the bed in whatever slip of clothing he plans to tease Sendak with later, probably eating small delicacies and reading something without a care in the world.  
> I think at first he wouldn’t catch on and just walk over to Lotor and try to help him up and whisper that they need to go right now. And Lotor would be surprised cause 1) how the fuck did he get here?? 2) why is he here, the paladoofs don’t give a shit about me...? He’d probably let Shiro lead him a few feet because he’s just mulling over the technicalities and then Shiro says something about getting him back on the Castle and he yanks his hand back and refuses to go.  
> “I will not set foot on your brightly lit coffin, if I do I will most likely never leave it again.”Shiro looks confused af. Lotor says that he refuses to be their prisoner because they have a very blatant disregard for his life. Shiro tries to defend himself and his team but realizes that he literally had to sneak out to do this. But there is the whole slave thing and how the cell can’t be worse and Lotor explains everything after he finds out that Shiro went against his team for him /again/  
> And how he’s in virtually no danger at all. And Shiro is glad that he’s ok and happy he can sleep at night again. Lotor probably offers that he can stay if he wants to cause he’d like someone who can bust into the emperor’s chambers undetected on his side. Shiro probably says no but Lotor tells him that he can come back any time. Shiro’s about to leave when Lotor’s hand on his wrist stops him.  
> Lotor thanks him sincerely for being one of the few who cared what happened to him and gently squeezes his hand with both of his. (Shiro is distracted because Lotor is wearing something very revealing and they were never this intimately close before and hooo boy) He blushes a bit but ultimately smiles back at Lotor and then leaves. (And probably comes back ten minutes later when the paladins annoy him again)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot.

Shiro was about halfway back to the castle when he received an incoming communication through his paladin armor. 

It was Allura, so Shiro played it cool. “Hey, Allura.”

She was already angry. “Don’t ‘Hey, Allura,’ me! I know you went back for Lotor!”

”Someone had to!” Sure, Lotor was apparently content and well, but they hadn’t known that previously. And what if he had been tortured, or worse? “God, Allura, he’s our ally!” Or, he had been. That relationship was kind of fuzzy now. But anyway. 

“He’s not worth it,” she insisted. “He’s already given us everything useful. It’s not our business what Sendak does to him, and frankly-“

“Don’t finish that sentence,” Shiro said lowly. 

“Come back to the Castle right now, Shiro!”

“You know what?” Shiro said. “No. I refuse. Find yourself a new Black Paladin.” He ripped out the comm unit and crushed it under his boot. 

It was impulsive, but honestly… He hadn’t made a decision that felt this good in a long time. He’d made a  _ choice _ , for the first time in...such a long time, and it felt good. He wasn’t stuck in that Castle, where his every decision was undermined because of Allura’s personal bias and her lack of foresight. 

He quickly turned off the shuttle’s comm unit, as well; that would be her next avenue, once she recovered from her shock. 

And it wasn’t like he didn’t have somewhere to go. Lotor’s offer had seemed sincere, and he actually valued Shiro’s ideas and expertise. He actually  _ listened _ . He didn’t always agree, but he had reasons other than “because I’m right and that’s final”. 

He turned the shuttle around. It would take a few hours for him to get back to Central Command, but it was “late” and he was tired. He stripped out of his armor, leaving him in just the flightsuit, both for comfort and because… Well, he wasn’t the Black Paladin anymore, was he? 

 

He felt marginally better in the morning, after a good night’s sleep. (He hadn’t slept well after the Kral Zera, not knowing what had happened to Lotor, but now that he knew he was safe…) 

He was still pissed, when he thought about it. Allura had just been willing to let Lotor be tortured or worse...simply because she didn’t like him? 

Lotor was right. They had shown a careless disregard for his life, as a  _ person _ . To them… once he’d served his purpose, they’d had no problems trading him away, as if they didn’t know that Zarkon would have killed him. Obviously, getting Sam back was important, but…. They should have found a better way. 

And just because Lotor had been able to triumph, it didn’t make it right. He shouldn’t have been in that situation to begin with. 

Breaking back into Central Command was as easy now as it had been yesterday; either Lotor hadn’t made security upgrades yet or he didn’t care to.

The Suite was empty, which was probably a good thing; Shiro didn’t really want to run into Sendak before he talked to Lotor, or at all, if it could be avoided.

Still… It was weird being in someone’s rooms without being invited and without anyone knowing he was there.

Lotor came out of a room that must have been the bathroom, as his hair was damp and all he was wearing was a towel wrapped around his waist.

Shiro tried to say something, but he couldn’t.  _ Holy shit… _

Lotor finally noticed him. “They pissed you off already?” He asked casually, like he’d been expecting Shiro to come back. 

“Uh…”

“Will this conversation be easier for you if I put some clothes on?” Lotor said with a knowing smirk.

Shiro nodded, just a little, slightly lightheaded. 

Lotor rolled his eyes. “It’s good to know that every race has those who think with their cocks more often than they should.” He turned to the closet and let the towel fall from around his waist.

Shiro averted his eyes. 

Not that Lotor stopped talking. “Is that what you need? I have to admit, I have been in a much better state of mind lately. Don’t tell Sendak I said this, but I think all I really needed was to get my brains fucked out a few times. Perhaps you should try it, Paladin; it’s an excellent stress-reliever.”

“I’m not a Paladin anymore,” Shiro blurted.

“Oh.” Lotor sat down next to him on the bed. “Don’t worry; I’m dressed. Are all humans so prudish?”

Shiro snorted, but turned to Lotor. He was, technically, dressed. If a nearly sheer robe counted. “Says the guy who never even took off so much as a glove the entire time he was in the Castle.”

“It was cold,” Lotor said crossly. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but I don’t exactly have fur.” He sighed. “So. Why are you here, Shiro?”

“I- I can’t keep...trying to do good, and getting overruled by Allura at every turn for childish reasons. And… you’re good, right? You’re trying to change things for the better?”

“I am,” Lotor said neutrally.

“And you offered me a place here.”

“I did.”

“So… If I wanted to make a difference, change things for the better, I don’t have to be a Paladin. I don’t have to be part of Voltron. Frankly, they don’t really know what they’re doing, so they’ll probably just make things worse.”

“We’re not going to let them,” Lotor said firmly. “I offered you a place here, and I won’t go back on that. There is, however, a strict ‘no armor in the bedroom’ rule.”

Shiro looked down at the armor he was wearing. The shuttle had had more neutral, non-paladin armor, and he’d felt safer sneaking around Central Command in something a little more substantial than his flightsuit. 

“Really?”

Lotor nodded. “It’s...necessary.” He didn’t elaborate, and frankly, Shiro wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. 

“I didn’t exactly plan for this, so… I didn’t really bring anything else with me.”

Lotor shrugged. “I have access to the Imperial accounts. We can have a few things made for you. In the meantime, we’re close enough to the same size.”

Lotor was taller, but they were equally as broad across the shoulders, so… It would probably work. 

In short order, Lotor had him change into a robe -similar to the one Lotor was wearing, but completely opaque -and then showed him around the Suite. After Shiro selected a room of his own, they returned to the master bedroom, where they sat cross-legged on the bed while Lotor tried to teach him what was essentially Space Checkers.

* * *

 

Sendak returned to the Suite after a long, yet productive, day. Productive because Lotor had only sent him one mildly racy picture, and he’d been able to pay attention. 

For someone who relied on Sendak’s position as Emperor to keep him safe, he could be rather...dismissive of some of the trappings that went with it. Usually, he was careful to only send pictures during the less important meetings (and they did help pass the time, as those meetings tended to be the boring ones), but today… 

He’d been suspiciously quiet. 

Sendak took his armor off in the main room, and went to the bedroom, where he was fairly certain Lotor would be waiting for him. 

He was...technically correct? 

Lotor was definitely there. 

But so was the Black Paladin, and they were sitting cross-legged on the bed playing a game of   _ elek anvor _ , both wearing robes (although, fortunately, the Paladin’s was not nearly as revealing as Lotor’s). 

Lotor’s ear flicked, and then he turned, grinning. “Hello, darling.”

Sendak shook his head a little in disbelief. You know what? Weirder shit had happened. Why not this? “Hello. Did you have a good day?”

“I’ve been teaching Shiro how to play  _ elek anvor _ ,” Lotor said. 

“I see that.” One look at the game board showed him that Lotor was winning, but that the Paladin was giving him a good game.

The Paladin looked away, anger in his shoulders. 

“Paladin-“

“I’m not,” he hissed. “But that’s what you wanted, right?” He stormed out, retreating to one of the other rooms.

Lotor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “His name is Shiro,” he said softly. “I suppose he’ll be staying with us for a while. Princess Allura pissed him off somehow -he didn’t really want to talk about it, and I didn’t ask, but he doesn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Alright.” This wasn’t exactly unusual; Lotor had a habit of befriending strays. Childhood loneliness. “And you feel safe with him here?” 

“He’s the only one who cared enough to help me.  And he tried to rescue me from here, though of course…”

“You don’t need to be rescued.” He cupped Lotor’s cheek with his flesh hand, and Lotor leaned into the touch. 

“Right,” Lotor murmured. “What happened between you two?”

Sendak sighed. It was a long story, complicated and ugly. “The Witch,” he said simply. 

“Ah,” Lotor said. 

“There wasn’t much I could do.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Lotor said. “I… I don’t want to send him away, but… I don’t want to deal with domestic drama, either.”

Lotor valued a stable home life. As long as things were going smoothly here, he could deal with everything else. He didn’t like fights and arguments, and he wouldn’t fight over this, but… 

Sendak just wanted him to be happy. He didn’t care too much about what had happened to him while he’d been in the Paladins’ custody -even if it had been unpleasant and illegal -but what they’d done to Lotor… 

And this Paladin, the former Champion, this... _ Shiro _ , had made sure that Lotor survived it. Sendak owed him a lot for that. 

He didn’t know what he would have done if Lotor had died. 

“He can stay as long as you want him to,” Sendak said. “I don’t have a problem with it. You should probably tell him that he’ll need to stay here, in the Suite, though; I’m sure the Witch would love to get her hands on him again.”

“Thank you,” Lotor said, pressing a kiss to the palm of Sendak’s hand. 

* * *

It was late, and Shiro had stewed for a few hours, just...angry. He’d known that Sendak would be here, but…. Seeing him… 

He hadn’t been prepared for that.

Someone knocked on the door. “Shiro?” It was Lotor. 

“It’s unlocked,” Shiro said. 

Lotor came in, carrying a plate of food. “I thought you might be hungry.”

He wasn’t, not really, but he’d learned not to pass up the opportunity to eat. He ate without really tasting the food, although it did smell good, and had an infinitely better texture than the Castle’s food goo. 

“There are some perks to being part of the Imperial household,” Lotor said.

“You’re not eating?”

“We’ve already eaten,” Lotor said. “It’s late, and Sendak has an early morning meeting, so he’s turned in already.”

“And you came to see me.”

Lotor nodded. “This might be an… adjustment for you, after everything.”

Shiro shrugged. “I mean… It’ll be nice to have a break from... _ everything _ .”

“You’ll need to stay here, in the Suite, until we handle the Witch,” Lotor said. “Unless you want to end up back in her lab.”

Shiro repressed a shudder; he did not. “It could be worse.”

Lotor smiled, a little sadly, a little sharply. “It can always be worse, Shiro.” 

“I’m just  _ tired _ ,” Shiro said quietly, after a moment. “I want it to be over. I never asked for this, and it- it isn’t  _ fair _ .” 

“I understand,” Lotor said, just as quietly, “more than you will ever know.”

“I just wanted to explore the stars. That’s it! I didn’t sign up for this.”

Lotor placed a hand on top of his. “I know. But you don’t need to worry about it anymore, if you don’t want to. It will be over soon, and then… Then the whole universe will be yours to see.”

Shiro wasn’t sure what possessed him, but before he could stop himself, he asked, “Would you come with me?”

Lotor froze for a moment, then smiled lazily. “You’ve made quite the impression on me, Shiro, but if you’re asking if I would leave my husband for a man I’ve only known for three months, the answer is no.”

Shiro flushed  _ red _ . “That- That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” He didn’t seem offended, which was a good thing; Lotor could probably have him thrown out on his ass, if he wanted. He didn’t think Lotor would have him turned over to Haggar, but… Well, he didn’t really want to risk that, either. 

“Uh….” 

“Look, Shiro, I’m an intelligent man. I think I know what attraction looks like in another person. And while I am grateful for everything you have done for me… I am perfectly happy remaining at my husband’s side.”

Shiro, if possible, got even redder. “I’m not trying to- to break up your marriage, or anything.”

“I didn’t think you were. You’re a good man; such a thing is not in your nature.” Lotor sighed. “There is a place for you here, if you want it.”

“I’m here already, aren’t I?” 

“We both know that isn’t quite what I meant.” Lotor leaned a little closer and -how had Shiro forgotten how little he was wearing? “There is room for three in the Emperor’s bed.”

The problem wasn’t the amount of  _ space _ . The problem was… Well. “I-“

“What happened while you were in the Arena?” Lotor asked softly. “That’s the issue, isn’t it?”

“I can’t do this,” Shiro said. “Not with him. I’m sorry, but I can’t-“

“Alright,” Lotor said firmly. “You don’t have to. You’ve already earned the Emperor’s favor; we wouldn’t ask you to whore yourself out.”

“I haven’t done anything!” Not strictly true; Shiro had, after all, spaced Sendak, although… It hadn’t been entirely his fault, with the Castle acting up. He didn’t bring that up, though. 

“You helped me,” Lotor said simply. “He is grateful for that. More grateful that words alone could express.” Lotor smiled fondly, a private little smile that had to be involuntary. “He’d be a mess without me. He can barely balance a budget, let alone run an entire empire.”

“He- he had his own fleet!”

“Empires are made of more than just soldiers and ships, Shiro. I do want you to know that he is a good man. I know what goes on in the Arenas, and I know that it must have been hell, but… Sendak had no part in that. No willing part, anyway. What Haggar wants, she gets.” He stood. “It is late, though; you should get some sleep.” He grinned. “You’ll need it to beat me at  _ elek anvor _ .” 

“You’ve been playing for ten thousand years,” Shiro protested. 

“In its current form, the game has only existed for three thousand years. Either way… Just think about what I’ve said. I’d rather not deal with conflict in my personal life as well, and I think I’ve made it clear where my allegiance lies.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Shiro said. “I’ll…try.”

“That’s all I ask.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said there would be plot, didn’t I?

It took weeks for things to come to a head, but they had to eventually. 

It had been tense even before this -the Suite was large, yes, but it was still a confined space, and only one of the three people living in it could freely come and go -but Lotor still wasn’t sure how it had come to this. What the final straw was.

He’d probably never know, and honestly, that was just as well. He didn’t care. 

“That’s enough!” He said sharply, interrupting this latest shouting match, standing and making to leave. “Settle this,  _ now _ !” 

He left, retreating to the bedroom and locking the door behind him. Sendak had the override code, but he wouldn’t use it unless it was an emergency; he knew how much Lotor liked his privacy. 

Lotor was considering not coming out again until they settled this, although that was probably an untenable solution, as they might never settle this matter.

A shame, really; Lotor liked Shiro, liked having someone around during the day, but he couldn’t handle  _ this _ : the shouting, the tension, the cold anger, even if none of it was directed at him. 

It reminded him too much of his childhood, and he’d sworn he’d never go back there again, not for anyone. He wanted to give Shiro a place here, but he didn’t owe him this. 

There was silence in the main room for several long moments, then some urgent-but-muffled words, then the slamming of the main door, and more silence.

Lotor finally decided to take a very long bath, still too angry and anxious to sleep. He took his tablet with him, to get some work done, if he could. 

* * *

Things were still tense the next day, and the day after that. Sendak hadn’t returned to the Suite, and normally Lotor would try to tempt him back with a few racy pictures, but he wasn’t really up to it. 

Shiro flat-out refused to talk to Lotor about it -any of it -and spent most of his days holed up in his own room.

It was the worst. Lotor had never felt so lonely in his entire goddamn life. He’d thought, maybe now that he could stay here with Sendak, that things would be better. And they had been. But this… This could not be allowed to last.

He just...didn’t know what to do. Some careful digging uncovered major pieces of what had happened to Shiro during his time in Galra captivity, but even knowing that…what was Lotor supposed to do about it? 

He was distracted from his bad mood by an urgent message from Sendak. There was still an entire universe out there, regardless of what was happening in the Imperial Suite. It was just...easy to forget that now, since it wasn’t on his shoulders anymore.

He read the message, then read it twice more, before bolting up and rushing to Shiro’s room.

“Shiro! Open up this instant! There’s an emergency, and we need your help!” 

* * *

Shiro surveyed the chart again. “Why did you need my help again?” 

“We haven’t had an actual battle with Voltron since I killed my father,” Lotor said, “and we would prefer to keep it that way. Also… Voltron is more dangerous, more destructive, when you are not at the helm.”

“Keith is...hotheaded,” Shiro conceded.

Lotor nodded once. “I’ve yet to meet him, but...yes. That’s my assessment. Voltron requires a level-headed leader, and from my own observations, that’s not Keith. Either way, this would not normally be a problem, but-“

“This is not a military facility,” Sendak said gruffly. He hadn’t looked up from the chart, frowning at it, his ears twitching in heavy irritation. “They are moving to attack an orphanage.”

“Are you sure?” Shiro asked.

Sendak nodded once. 

“It used to be a secret weapons’ testing facility,” Lotor explained. “It was decommissioned years ago, but recently it was converted into an orphanage.”

“Why would you keep orphans in an old military base?” Shiro asked.

“It’s not in a warzone,” Lotor said defensively. “And it’s heavily fortified. Voltron is probably the only thing that could penetrate its defenses.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“Talk to Voltron. Tell them… There are children there, Shiro,” Lotor said, turning to Shiro. He looked so concerned, so worried… “Please convince them to stop this.”

“I...don’t know if they’ll listen to me,” Shiro said. “But I’ll try.”

Lotor looked relieved. “Thank you.”

“If they don’t turn back,” Shiro began, “what will you do?”

Lotor sighed, but it was Sendak who answered. “Children are so incredibly precious. To lose even one in this manner… I fear that the Empire would call for them to be destroyed entirely.”

Shiro nodded thoughtfully. It occurred to him, suddenly, that he’d never even seen a single Galra child, but then… If Galra cared about children so much, they probably kept them away from warzones. 

“I need to get back to the bridge,” Sendak told Lotor. “Will you be able to arrange the transmission from here?”

“I’ll manage,” Lotor said, rising up on his toes to kiss Sendak on the cheek. “Go. Make sure the fleet is ready.”

“Ready for what?” Shiro asked, after Sendak left.

“Ready for battle. In case this doesn’t work. I sincerely hope it won’t come to that, but…”

Shiro nodded, and let Lotor set up the connection in silence. It didn’t take him long. 

He handed Shiro his tablet. “When you’re ready, press this button.”

“Do you think they’ll listen to me?”

Lotor smiled thinly. “Well, we know they won’t listen to  _ me _ . In fact, it might be best to not let them know where you are, lest they try to accuse me of tricking you.”

“You wouldn’t, though, would you?”

Lotor sighed. “Not about something like this, certainly. I’ve had to do things I’m not proud of, Shiro, but I wouldn’t… Not about this.”

“I trust you.”

He didn’t miss the way Lotor’s ears flicked down at that. Perhaps a sign of embarrassment? Had he flustered Lotor?

“Alright. This button?” 

Lotor nodded, and stepped back, out of sight of the tablet’s camera. 

Shiro took a deep breath and pressed the button.

The whole team was there, but it was Keith who spoke first. “ _ Shiro _ ?”

“Hey, Keith. Uh...Look, are you heading to a facility in Sector 10-67?”

“Yeah. Shiro, where are you? Are you ok? Do you need us to come and get you?”

“I’m fine. The facility…”

“It’s a weapons’ facility,” Pidge said. “The Blades-“

“It’s not. It’s an orphanage,” Shiro interjected. “Trust me. It’s an orphanage. Just...leave it alone.”

“Shiro, the Blades…”

“They’re wrong! There are children there.”

There was a long pause. “Have you been there, Shiro?” Keith asked.

“Well, no, but…” 

“We have intel,” Pidge said. “I don’t know where you heard that, but-“

“Lotor,” Allura said coldly. “You’re with Lotor, aren’t you.”

Lotor sighed and stepped into the picture. “Princess. A pleasure, as always.”

“What have you done to Shiro?” She demanded.

“Nothing,” Lotor said. “Fed him, gave him a place to sleep.”

“I don’t believe you.”

He shrugged. “You don’t need to. But if you attack the facility in Sector 10-67, you will kill innocent children, and the empire will demand blood in payment. Consider that.” He cut the transmission.

“Why did you-?”

“They weren’t going to listen. As soon as Allura figured out where you were, it was over.” He scrubbed his hands over his eyes. “This is a disaster. It was my idea to turn the facility into an orphanage. They were supposed to be safe there…”

“This isn’t your fault,” Shiro said firmly. “They must have gotten some bad information.”

“Perhaps.” Lotor’s mouth twisted into a cynical smile. “Very few knew about the facility. Of them, only the witch remains alive and well. For now.”

“Shit.”

“Mm,” Lotor agreed.

“So...now what?” 

“The fleet will try to intercept, but as the Castle on Lions is already on-route via teleduv… If we are lucky, the defenses will hold until then. If not…” He sighed. “If not, Voltron will succeed in unifying the Empire in a way that only King Alfor has ever managed before.” 

A dark, cynical joke, but it mirrored the way Shiro felt. Why couldn’t they fucking listen to him for once? 

* * *

 

It took too long for the Imperial fleet to reach the facility. Other fleets had been closer, and they had arrived sooner, but the wreckage of those ships created a hazardous debris field that had to be maneuvered around.

The Castle of Lions remained on the sidelines, likely directing the Paladins as they fought, individually, slicing through ships and drones with ease.

Like child’s play. 

Appropriate, Sendak thought. They  _ were _ children, after all, utterly unsuited for the battlefield. If not for those Lions, they would have been massacred long since, and yet they had done nothing to earn that power.

Sendak had worked hard for his position, trained his body and mind for command, for battle. He’d clawed his way up the ranks on his own merit, given nothing, fighting at every turn to prove he was worthy of this.

(Only Lotor had ever fought harder, and he should have been the emperor, but perhaps he deserved a rest, after it all.)

Lotor had revealed to him that the Paladins did not use even simple encryptions on their communications, and thus it was easy enough for his communications officer to intercept the signal. They had not noticed the arrival of the Imperial fleet, apparently. 

“Prepare to hail on all frequencies.” 

“It’s live, Sire.”

”Paladins of Voltron,” Sendak began, “I am Sendak, Emperor of the Galra Empire. Cease your attack at once and leave this sector, or we will have no choice but to destroy you.”

He heard the collective gasp of the Paladins -he had a vague understanding of how the Lions operated, but did they have to react to  _ everything _ in sync? -before the princess spoke. “We will  _ not _ .” 

Sendak muted the line. “Begin charging the ion cannons,” Sendak said to the weapons’ officers. “Prepare for the formation of Voltron. Fire when it is weakest.”

“Yes, Sire!” 

Sendak unmuted the line. “The facility you are so intent in attacking is now an orphanage. It houses four hundred and sixty two children of various ages. The weapons’ facility you think you are attacking was decommissioned years ago, and the equipment was repurposed elsewhere. Cease this senseless attack at once.”

They paused for a moment, before one of them -Sendak did not particularly care to distinguish them most of the time, and there was rarely reason to -said, “Prove it.”

Sendak did his best to hide his surprise. “Very well. We will meet you in the facility.”

* * *

“I am not sure they will believe us, regardless of the proof we give them,” Lotor said quietly, standing at Sendak’s shoulder, his eyes respectfully lowered.

Sendak didn’t care about that, but there were others around, and they had to keep up appearances.

“I’m aware,” Sendak said. “They aren’t coming here in good faith.”

“Have they ever?” Lotor asked.

“No,” Sendak huffed. He was still bitter about the loss of his fleet due to the Paladins’ perfidious actions. As well he might be.

“Regardless,” he continued, “we are prepared in case they do try something.”

“You do not need to pretend to do this in good faith, either,” Lotor pointed out. “At least not to me.”

“If you were not as good of a man as you are,” Sendak murmured, “together we would have made your father’s accomplishments look like a grain of sand in a vast desert.”

“Perhaps,” Lotor said dismissively. 

“Sire, we are preparing to land,” one of the officers said, stopping a respectful distance away.

Sendak nodded in acknowledgement. “You can stay here, onboard, if you wish,” he said quietly, for Lotor alone.

“If you think I am going to let you go out there alone-“

“I won’t be alone.”

“-And face the Paladins after what they did to you-“

“Which was not as bad as what they did to you.”

“-Then you’re mistaken. After all,” Lotor said, smirking slightly, “you are my emperor, Sire, and I live to serve you above all others.”

Sendak rolled his eye.  “I’m not sure anyone actually believes that you are my slave, my love. My concubine, maybe, and even that’s a stretch.”

Lotor hid his smirk the best he could. “This charade will end shortly, I’m sure, Sire.”

“Soon,” Sendak agreed. “So I can’t convince you to stay onboard?”

”Not a chance.” And anyway, Lotor wasn’t unarmed. He just didn’t have any  _ visible _ weapons on his person. 

“We’ve arrived, Sire.” 

Sendak nodded, and swept off the shuttle, with Lotor on his heels, a little closer than was strictly decorous. 

The Paladins exited their shuttle at approximately the same time, glancing around the hangar nervously. It was an ideal place for an ambush, and even these children had to realize that.

It was not a trap, and no harm would come to them unless they attacked first. 

“What would convince you that this is what we say it is?” Sendak asked, not bothering with pleasantries. Lotor wouldn’t have, either; he was starting to get rather tired of Voltron.

The Paladins ignored him, their attention firmly on Lotor. 

“Lotor,” Allura said gently, entreatingly. “You can- we can help you. You don’t have to stay with-“

“You want me to run back into your arms and your cell,” Lotor said. “Because now that you know I am close to the Emperor, you assume I will have more information you can take from me. Will you try to dispose of me yet again when I have served out my usefulness?”

”It wasn’t like that, Lotor. Please, we-“ She stopped herself, glanced at Sendak, then back at Lotor. “We need your help.”

”You had your chance,” Lotor said coldly. “You chose to send me to my death.”

”You survived.”

“No thanks to you,” Sendak growled harshly, clearly unable to take this abject lack of compassion anymore. 

“Look,” one of the other Paladins -formerly the Red, and now the Black, Paladin said. “If this is an orphanage, we’ll leave. But you have to give us Shiro.”

“Shiro?” Sendak asked blandly. 

“We know you have him!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The- The  _ Champion _ !? We know you’ve taken him prisoner somehow, so you have to give him back!”

“Things are rarely as they appear,” Lotor drawled. “He’s not a prisoner.”

“Then where is he!”

“Safe, and where he wishes to be,” Lotor said firmly. “If and when he wishes to speak to you, we will contact you. Until then, if we may prove that this is, in fact, an orphanage?”

The Paladins conferred amongst themselves for a few moments, before turning back to face them. “No,” Allura said haughtily. “Give us Shiro,  _ now _ , or we will destroy this facility.”

Sendak snapped the fingers of his flesh hand together, the signal for the guards. 

There was a brief scuffle, but without their Lions, these Paladins had very little. The lack of a strong leader didn’t help, either. 

“You are in no position to negotiate,” Sendak said. “And you never have been. The only reason I won’t have you killed right now is because you are barely more than children yourselves.” 

Orders had been relayed to confiscate the Lions, and that was now complete, too. 

“Escort them back to the Castle,” Sendak ordered the guards. To the Paladins, he simply said, “That was your last chance. Pray that we do not cross paths again.”

Lotor watched impassively. Separating the Lions from the Paladins wouldn’t remove them from the war, but it would effectively declaw them. A cruel thing to do to a cat, but these children were not worthy of such a weapon. 

“And now the witch,” Sendak said.

Lotor nodded. “And now the witch.” 


	5. Chapter 5

Shiro watched suspiciously as Lotor set out a bottle of some sort of amber-colored liquid and two small glasses, somewhat bigger than shot glasses, but not by much. 

“Are you...celebrating?” Shiro asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” Lotor said, smiling slyly. “You and my husband are going to work out your differences, one way or another, and I am going to go take a very relaxing bath. Perhaps you both can come to some sort of…  _ compromise _ .” 

“Ok…” Shiro said. “I take it that’s alcoholic.”

“The Galra have no traditional liquor of their own,” Lotor said. “That requires agriculture, and the Galra have never been particularly proficient at that. Actually, it was the Alteans that introduced-“ He shook his head. “Regardless, yes, it is. An Olkarion grain whiskey. Very fine, and very expensive. I’m sure you both will enjoy it.” 

“Thanks…” Shiro said. He was  _ definitely _ looking forward to getting trashed with Sendak, of all people. 

Lotor kissed his cheek. “Tell him that I’ve left the bedroom door unlocked.”

“Um...sure,” Shiro said. He didn’t have time to think of something else to say before Lotor left, presumably to take his very relaxing bath.

...Was that some kind of Galra innuendo that he didn’t get? 

Probably.

He studied the bottles and glasses for a few minutes, wondering if maybe he should just… go to bed. He didn’t want to speak to Sendak, and he certainly didn’t want to get drunk with him. 

On the other hand, Lotor hadn’t really been  _ asking _ , had he? 

Besides, at this point, Shiro could use a good, stiff drink.

Shiro poured himself a glass and sipped it cautiously. 

It had a pleasant burn going down, and warmth settled in his belly and began spreading almost immediately. Fine whiskey indeed. 

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

Sendak came back eventually, pausing in the doorway for a moment, studying the scene in front of him. “...Where’s Lotor?”

“He’s…” If it  _ was _ an innuendo, Shiro didn’t want to get punched in the face for discussing another man’s husband like that. “Uh… taking a bath.”

Sendak frowned, then looked down at the bottle of whiskey and the two glasses -one still partially full.

“I see,” he said finally. He sat down opposite Shiro and poured himself a glass. He knocked it back. “I’m guessing he wants us to talk.”

“Yeah, pretty much. He- he also said to tell you that he left the bedroom unlocked?”

Sendak snorted and shook his head. “I bet he did.” 

“Am I- Am I missing something?”

“My husband is…” Sendak shook his head. “I guess if this goes well, you’ll find out soon enough.”

What the hell did  _ that _ mean? “Look. I don’t remember a lot of what happened during the year I was in the Arena. But I know it wasn’t good, and I know you were there. So. Forgive me if I’m still…”

Sendak poured himself another glass, and after a moment of thought, topped up Shiro’s. “The Arena is not a kind place for anyone, even those who willingly go to it.”

“People willingly sign up for that?”

Sendak shrugged. “When the other options are worse, yes. They do. Desperate men will do anything to survive, but you know that.”

Shiro did, too well. He drained his glass, reveling in the pain of the burn. “You… you didn’t give me a choice.”

“You didn’t have a choice,” Sendak said. “Neither of us did.”

“That’s bullshit. You were Zarkon’s favorite! And you’re telling me there was  _ nothing _ you could have done?” 

“It wasn’t that simple. The witch wanted to study you. You look so…  _ Altean… _ ” 

“ _ She took my fucking arm! _ ” 

“You’re lucky that’s all she took. She had intended to… You don’t want to know. Either way, the Arena was a kinder fate, and eventually, you fell into the hands of someone who orchestrated your escape. I did the best I could.”

“Surely, as Zarkon’s favorite, you could have-“

Sendak shook his head. “I was his favorite because I never stepped out of line. The moment I did… Well. Lotor’s lost enough as it is. I did what I could for you, and I know it wasn’t enough, but there’s no way I would have put everything in jeopardy for a nameless stranger. I wasn’t going to put Lotor through that.” He laughed bitterly. “Not that I had much of a choice, as it turned out.”

Shiro blinked. “You really care about him, don’t you?”

“Of course I do! By Vrig the Great, I married him! I’d do anything to make him happy, because he so rarely is. I can’t imagine what a mess I’d be without him, and I don’t want to. I  _ love _ him. We’ve been together so long, it’s hard to remember what things were like before…” He sighed. “I’m trying to -to explain, because clearing this matter up will make him happy. Because he likes you, likes your company. Because you make him happy, and you- you saved his life, and I can’t- I couldn’t do this without him.”

“Oh.” Shiro didn’t know what to say to that, and also he was a little drunk. “It didn’t seem right to make him go out there unarmed. I mean… Zarkon was going to kill him, right? Doesn’t seem right to send a man to his death when he asked us for help.”

“Others would have.” He laughed bitterly. “Others  _ have _ . Just… Those who claim to be the Defenders of the Universe should be  _ better _ than that.”

“Yeah,” Shiro agreed. 

“Thank you,” Sendak said. 

“You don’t need to thank me,” Shiro said. “I would have done it for anyone.”

“Still, I… I feel that I owe you so much, ensuring Lotor’s survival like that, even if it went against the wishes of your team.”

“You know about that?”

“Lotor doesn’t keep secrets from me. He’s told me everything.”

Which struck Shiro as odd; Lotor hadn’t been forthcoming about anything personal. Just the intel they asked him for, and nothing else. But then… it would be different with one’s husband, Shiro supposed.

(Not that he would know.) 

Sendak refilled their glasses. “I am sorry that I could not do more for you, but it was the only way I had of protecting you until someone could facilitate your escape.”

“Do- do you know anything about that?”

“Of course not,” Sendak said. “If I knew anything, I would have had to report it immediately.” 

Shiro laughed a little.

“Besides,” Sendak continued, “the Arena and the chance at life was better than what the witch was planning anyway.”

Shiro had a morbid need to know. “What- what was she even planning? She already took my arm.”

“She wanted to vivisect you.”

“I’m sorry,  _ what _ .” 

“She- she wanted to see if you looked Altean inside, too, and she likes studying reactions to various things as well, so… “

“She’s done that before?!”

“I can’t save everyone. No one can. So you have to- to  _ prioritize _ . You have to know that.”

Shiro sighed, tilting his head back on the headrest and staring up at the ceiling. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. I hate it, but yeah… I get it. Thanks, I guess. I would rather be thrown into the gladiator pits than vivisected. But… why  _ me _ ?”

Sendak’s ear flicked a few times. “You… I thought you might stand a chance, in the Arena,” he said neutrally.

“That’s bullshit,” Shiro said. He might not have been so blunt sober, but he was… he didn’t know how many shots he’d had at this point. Too many, probably. It was some good shit, though. “And you fucking know it.”

Sendak’s ears went back, and… fuck, was he  _ flustered _ ? 

Shiro glanced at the bottle of whiskey. It had been nearly full earlier, but now it was practically half-gone.  _ Jesus Christ.  _

“You…” Sendak said slowly, carefully. He finished his shot. “Reminded me… of Lotor.”

Shiro laughed. It was so ridiculous for anyone to compare him to Lotor, that he couldn’t help himself. 

Sendak’s ears flattened further. “You asked,” he grumbled. ”And it’s a compliment. Lotor’s fucking special.”

“Oh my god,” Shiro said. It all suddenly fell into place: he didn’t only have Lotor’s interest, but Sendak’s, too. “I’m too drunk for this.” Had Lotor been flirting on behalf of both of them? Good fucking lord. 

Still, Sendak was still in his own seat, on the far side of the coffee table, not making any move to… well,  _ move _ . Closer, or further away. 

He just waited. 

“That’s… that’s why Lotor wants us to get along?” Shiro asked finally. 

“He likes you,” Sendak said simply. 

“Likes me, or  _ like-likes _ me?” Shiro demanded. 

Sendak frowned. “I...do not understand…” 

“As a friend, or as...something else?”

“Lotor doesn’t have friends,” Sendak said fondly. “But if he did, I think you would be one of his closest.”

“Oh.” Shiro scratched the back of his neck, trying to look anywhere but at Sendak. “Is he...are you both…?”

“It’s fallen out of fashion, but some Galra marriages consist of more than two partners. Neither of us would ask for such commitment right now, but…”

“You’ve discussed it, then.”

Sendak shrugged. “We’ve been married a long time. There isn’t much we  _ haven’t _ discussed. Regardless, he just wants us to get along enough that we can tolerate being in the same room with each other. Anything else is… unnecessary.”

“But not undesired.”

Sendak nodded, just once. 

Shiro swallowed. He… he still had holes in his memory, from his time in the Arena. He had no idea if Sendak was telling the truth about the vivisection thing. He had no real reason to trust him. 

But… Lotor trusted him, and Lotor’s trust was so incredibly difficult to earn. Hell, Lotor had  _ married _ him, and that had to say something good about his character.

“I- You’re the Galra Emperor. I’m supposed to be...fighting against everything you stand for. How can I-?”

“I’m not Zarkon. I might be the Emperor, but… Things are different now. So incredibly different. It’s all- It’s all by Lotor’s grand design, of course.” He laughed a little, fondly. “No one knows that, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that… Zarkon’s dead, and the witch will be soon, and we can… move forward.”

”I’ll drink to that,” Shiro said. They did, draining the bottle even further. “I guess… I won’t hold the Champion thing against you if you don’t hold the ‘launched into space in a damaged Altean cryopod’ thing against me.” 

Sendak laughed out loud, a surprisingly nice sound. “Deal.”

* * *

Lotor smiled to himself as he surveyed the scene:

One empty bottle of Olkarion grain whiskey, two empty glasses, and two passed-out-drunk men.

He would have liked them to be a little more lively, but after splitting nearly an entire bottle of whiskey between them, it was unlikely they would have been able to fuck him anyway. Alas…. Some other time, then. 

He shook Sendak gently awake. “It’s time for bed, darling.”

Sendak grumbled and tried to pull Lotor into his embrace.

Lotor, who was not remotely drunk, easily side-stepped. “You’re only going to complain about the crick in your neck if I let you sleep out here.”

Sendak grumbled, but finally got himself standing, with a little help from Lotor.

”Good boy,” Lotor crooned. “Now, I’ll be there in just a mo-“

Sendak hugged him, swaying enough on his feet that it nearly toppled them both over, purring loudly and drunkenly. “Kiss first,” he demanded.

Lotor laughed. “Alright, my darling.” He pulled Sendak’s face down and kissed him, tasting the (admittedly, very fine) whiskey on his lips. Sendak didn’t quite want to let go -he was a very affectionate drunk -but finally Lotor managed to untangle himself and sent him off to bed. 

It was significantly easier to get Shiro to bed, considering that he was out cold and Lotor could quite easily carry him. So he just picked him up. Shiro mumbled something in his sleep, but that was about it.

Fortunately, the Imperial bed was very big, so despite Sendak sprawling across it face-first, there was room for Lotor to tuck Shiro in and climb in himself. 

Honestly, it was very nice: Sendak sprawled out on one side, purring and radiating heat, and Shiro on the other, curled up on his side so that he wouldn’t aspirate anything. Just in case.

It was... _ shockingly _ domestic. 

Sendak draped one arm over Lotor’s waist, pulling him closer.

“Oh, darling,” Lotor said softly, unable to stop himself from smiling. He couldn’t remember ever being happier than he was right now. He kissed Sendak on the cheek -he was already sound asleep, but Lotor couldn’t resist -and fell asleep purring. 


	6. Chapter 6

It wasn’t unusual for Sendak to wake up with Lotor curled up against his chest, wrapped securely in Sendak’s arms. Sometimes, but not always, purring. 

So it wasn’t until he opened his eyes that he realized something wasn’t  _ quite _ right. 

For one thing, Lotor’s hair was much longer and definitely not black. 

He wasn’t really awake, so he just said the first thing that came to mind, which was, “You’re not Lotor.”

“No shit,” Shiro grouched. “Can you let me go? You have a death grip when you sleep.”

“Sorry.” He let Shiro go. Where was Lotor, anyway? He wasn’t really a morning person, and liked to cuddle for a few minutes before he got up, if time allowed. (One of the best parts of the day, in Sendak’s opinion.) 

Shiro rolled over and buried his face in a pillow. “I should not have had all that whiskey last night,” he groaned. “I can’t remember the last time I was this hungover.”

“Hungover?” Sendak asked.

Shiro groaned louder. “Un-fucking-believable.” 

Lotor came back in, carrying two mugs of rocao. He handed one to Sendak and gave him a kiss. “Good morning, darling.”

“You’re up early,” Sendak remarked, taking a sip of his rocao. Usually, he had to get out of bed for his first cup, so this was incredibly nice. 

Lotor took a sip from his own mug, climbing into bed on Shiro’s far side. “Shiro wasn’t feeling well this morning.” He stroked Shiro’s back. “You should have some more water, my dear.”

Shiro’s ears went  _ red _ . 

If Lotor noticed, he didn’t comment on it. “How are the painkillers working?”

“Ok,” Shiro mumbled. “Might take a few more minutes for them to kick in fully.” 

Lotor hummed softly, not quite a purr -it wasn’t always the easiest thing for him to do, and it was difficult for him to do it on purpose -but close enough, and continued stroking Shiro’s back. “Do you need anything else?” 

Shiro shook his head, just once. “Unless you can go back in time and keep me from drinking so much.”

Lotor leaned down to kiss the top of Shiro’s head. “Unfortunately, that is beyond the reach of Galra technological abilities, my dear.” 

When Sendak was younger -much younger -he would have been irritated by this scene: the lack of sex, the fact that Lotor was paying attention to someone else…

Now, though, the raw domesticity of it made him smile softly, on the verge of purring himself. He was still a little put-out that he couldn’t cuddle with Lotor, but it was nice enough to watch him slowly savoring his rocao, quietly taking care of Shiro. Over the years, Lotor had taken care of Sendak during bouts of cold and flu, when he could, and in return, Sendak had taken care of him through various injuries; to extend the same care to someone else meant  _ something _ , and as always, Sendak would follow where Lotor led. 

Finally, Shiro turned over, and Lotor helped him sit up, so he could empty a glass of water.

Shiro was just as rumpled and adorable as Lotor was in the morning, if more grouchy (although that could just be because he wasn’t feeling great). 

“I think I’m gonna take a nap,” Shiro said. “Don’t you guys have stuff to do?”

They did; Emperors did not get a day off. Also…since they were still in orbit over the orphanage, they were going to visit. Which meant seeing Lotor interact with children.

Which meant Sendak was going to die. There was no way he could handle that. 

Lotor kissed Shiro’s cheek. “We’ll be back to check on you later, then.” He stood and stretched theatrically, then gestured for Sendak to follow him.

Sendak did, delighted to notice Lotor was heading to the shower. He’d gotten very used to having sex with Lotor multiple times a day, so these last few weeks had been...frustrating. 

Lotor, meanwhile, was delighted by the unexpected (but thoroughly enjoyed) shower blow job (from what Sendak could tell, and since he knew Lotor  _ very _ well…). And Sendak did so love to love Lotor, spoiling him like this, all for the simple pleasure of seeing him fall apart and knowing that it was all Sendak’s doing.

He supposed, if everything worked out with Shiro, he’d have to share, but… if he played his cards right, he wouldn’t be sharing one partner so much as gaining another. And that idea certainly appealed to him, especially since he knew Lotor liked and trusted Shiro, and he himself was impressed by Shiro.

Lotor reciprocated with a leisurely handjob, then began working soap down into Sendak’s fur, combing his fingers through to get out any accumulated dirt and loose hairs.

Sendak couldn’t stop himself from purring. This was a process, and he usually did it himself -typically in preparation for visiting Lotor, in fact; he’d always wanted to look his best -so having Lotor do it was so good. 

He returned the favor by washing Lotor’s hair and body. Lotor didn’t purr, but all of the tension he usually held in his shoulders disappeared, so Sendak counted it as a victory. 

By the time they dried off and dressed, Shiro was sound asleep in bed, so they quietly left, taking care not to wake him. 

Once in the main room, Lotor kissed him. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“How did your talk last night go?”

“Pretty good, I think. We came to an understanding.”

“Now all we need is for Shiro to remember,” Lotor said with a grin. “Come on, we’ll be late if we don’t hurry up.”

“I’m never late,” Sendak said. “I’m the emperor.”

Lotor laughed and kissed him again. 

* * *

These days, whenever Lotor was out in public, he did his best to act as the obedient slave he was supposed to be. Usually, that just meant standing behind Sendak at a respectful distance and staying quiet. Boring, but not difficult. 

Today, though, while Sendak was making his address, he felt a small hand tug on his tunic. (He was much more modestly dressed today, as there were children around.)

He looked down to see a child of no more than four or five looking up at him, his eyes wet and his lower lip trembling. 

He wasn’t supposed to be here right now, so he was probably lost.

Lotor glanced at Sendak -still occupied -and then knelt down. “Hello, little one. What’s your name?”

The child sniffed. “Brek.”

“My name is Lotor,” Lotor said. “Where are you supposed to be right now?”

“I dunno.” He sniffed again.

He was clearly a hybrid -no pure-blooded Galra had ever had a tail quite like his - and Lotor had to wonder… Was he here because his parents had died? Or because they hadn’t wanted a half-breed child? That wasn’t such an uncommon thing, especially when the bearing parent wasn’t Galra. Galra, even half-breeds, were seldom accepted outside of the Empire, and while the Galra Empire did have problems with hybrids, at least there was a strong desire among most Galra to care for children of all types. It was only when those hybrid children grew up into half-breed adults that the problems really begin.

“Are you lost?” Lotor asked. The child really was too young to be on his own.

Brek nodded. 

“Alright, let’s see if we can figure out where you’re supposed to be,” Lotor said, before picking Brek up. 

No one stopped him, of course; no one would dare to order around the Emperor’s personal slave. As Sendak’s slave, he garnered more respect than he had as a prince, mostly because he was seen as an extension of Sendak, in that to disrespect him would be to disrespect Sendak, and no one was foolish enough to do that. 

He found himself idly rubbing Brek’s back, and Brek began purring. He was probably too young to have gained much control over that, and it made Lotor smile softly. 

He walked through the facility, trying to find someone who knew where Brek was supposed to be -there were several other children here around Brek’s age, and they were usually kept together, as far as he knew - and eventually he found a frantic looking woman who calmed a little when she saw Brek in his arms.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for him! Thank you-“ She stopped short when she caught a good look at him. “Oh! Your High- Sir!”

“Lotor is fine,” he said. “I imagine you must want this troublemaker back.”

“Oh, thank you, Sir,” she said. “I don’t know how he- Thank you. Forgive me for allowing him to interrupt-“

“Nonsense,” Lotor said. “Children get into all sorts of things they aren’t supposed to.”

Brek didn’t stir when Lotor handed him over, didn’t even stop purring.

“I have to go get him tucked in for nap time,” she said. “Thank you again!”

“He’s a sweet child,” Lotor said. “It was no problem at all.” 

Lotor returned to Sendak’s side as quietly and discreetly as he’d left it, still smiling softly to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

__ “Now that you’ve settled your differences,” Lotor drawled, leaning against the doorway to the bedroom in one of his diaphanous robes, “perhaps you both can find common ground elsewhere as well.” 

He flashed a sultry smirk to both Sendak and Shiro, and… God, Shiro hadn’t expected him to be so  _ forward _ . Then he turned and slinked away to the bedroom, leaving the invitation hanging in the air like expensive perfume.

“Did he mean what I think he meant?” Shiro asked. 

“Yes,” Sendak said, clearly caught between following Lotor and explaining what was happening to Shiro.

Shiro almost felt bad about it. “Uh… Are you  _ sure _ ? I mean, I know you guys are like... _ married _ , so-“

“Don’t you want him?”

Not the response Shiro had been expecting. “...yeah, but-“

Sendak flashed a toothy smirk. “Afraid you can’t handle him? It’s not surprising; most can’t.”

And, well… Shiro wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. 

Sendak must have caught Shiro’s sudden change in mood -from awkward and shy to competitive and cocky -because his grin just grew wider. “Let’s not keep him waiting any longer.”

Lotor was waiting for them, if not very patiently. He reclined on the pillows at the head of the bed, the robe pulled open (not that it had been hiding a whole lot to begin with) and one hand between his legs. “I’m glad you could come to an agreement,” he purred. 

“How could we not?” Sendak said, climbing over Lotor to kiss him. “With such a pretty reward.”

Lotor hummed and turned his head, to allow Sendak to mouth at his neck while he beckoned Shiro closer with one delicate finger.

Shiro couldn’t help but move closer, Lotor’s glowing eyes like magnets pulling him forward. At the same time, his stomach was a pit of nerves. “It’s… ah… Been a while,” he said awkwardly. They were both so…. _ worldly _ , and he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of them, but-

“That’s alright,” Lotor said. “We’ll take good care of you.”

Shiro might have felt like prey in that moment, but he’d never wanted to be caught so badly. 

Somehow, he ended up on his knees, with Lotor behind him, his chest pressed to Shiro’s back. 

“Kiss him,” Lotor murmured, and Sendak bent down to capture Shiro’s lips with his own, and it was… 

Shiro had always been bigger than his partners, physically, taller and stronger, but now… He’d never felt small like this before, and he’d never expected it to feel so good. 

Lotor’s hands roamed down his chest, carefully finding and releasing each catch, peeling Shiro out of his flightsuit, while Sendak rendered him breathless and wanting. 

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Lotor said. “I’m going to fuck you while Sendak fucks me. Does that sound good to you?”

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Shiro said intelligently. “Yeah, fuck. It’s been  _ forever _ .” 

“Well, if it’s been  _ forever _ ,” Lotor teased, “we’ll have to make sure you can take it.” He ground himself against Shiro’s ass, and-  _ shit _ , yeah. 

“Jesus christ,” Shiro said. 

“That’s why Sendak’s not fucking you tonight,” Lotor said smugly. “That, and I miss his cock. Fills me up so good.”

Sendak snorted. “You’re such a slut, baby.”

“Only for you,” Lotor said sweetly. “And Shiro.” He snaked a hand around to Shiro’s crotch, shamelessly groping his cock through his flightsuit (he’d only gotten it down to his waist). 

They both moaned: Shiro, because of the stimulation, and Lotor, because he… 

“Yes, you’ll do nicely,” Lotor said, his breath hot against Shiro’s ear. 

(Shiro wasn’t sure he could compete with Galra cocks, size-wise, but he was a man, and who didn’t like to have their cock complimented?) 

“Come on,” Sendak said, pulling Shiro away from Lotor. “I want to see you.”

Shiro, who was not at all used to being manhandled, swallowed hard. 

“And you always accuse me of being impatient,” Lotor grumbled, reaching over to the bedside table. 

“You  _ are _ impatient,” Sendak said.

Shiro kicked off the rest of his flightsuit, and suddenly he had two sets of hungry eyes on him.

He hadn’t been naked in front of other people -sexually, anyway -since before the Arena, and sure, he was nervous, but… He knew they were both warriors in their own right; they both had scars, visible and otherwise. Surely,  _ surely _ , they wouldn’t mind. 

Lotor bit his lower lip, and Sendak’s ears were pricked forward… It was strange that they should find him attractive, and yet they did, and they wanted him…

And of course Shiro couldn’t help but want them, too. 

“Come here,” Lotor murmured, low and sultry. His robe had fallen open further, revealing his cock, fully hard and upright and just... _ big _ . 

Shiro settled himself in Lotor’s lap -even like this, Lotor was marginally taller -and Lotor titled his face up for a kiss, surprisingly sweet and yet somehow still filthy. 

“Do you like what you see?” Lotor asked when he let Shiro breathed. 

Shiro nodded. “Yeah, yeah, fuck…” 

“Let me open you up,” Lotor said. 

Shiro’s hips jerked forward uncontrollably, pressing their cocks together, and-  _ fuck _ . 

“How many times can you come in one evening?” Lotor asked curiously, like he was barely affected, while slicking up the fingers of one hand. 

It took Shiro a moment to figure out what he was saying. “Uh… usually just once.”

“Hm,” was all Lotor said about that. “Are you ready?”

Shiro nodded, but he still jerked at the sensation of Lotor’s fingers rubbing against his hole. The lube wasn’t cold, it was just… It had been a while.

“Relax,” Lotor murmured. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

Shiro took a deep breath and nodded again. He’d done this before, and knew how to relax himself, so it was just a matter of letting go of his nerves. And he could do that.

Lotor kissed his cheek. “Good boy.” His fingers just played with Shiro’s rim, not entering, and incrementally, Shiro was able to relax. “Perfect. You’re doing so well.”

Shiro flushed. He’d never had a thing for praise, but if it was  _ Lotor _ saying it, maybe… 

He moaned when Lotor pressed the first slick finger in. Shiro didn’t remember it being this good before, and he wanted more, right now. 

He spread his legs a little bit further, and pressed back against the finger already in him. “More,” he demanded, begged. 

Lotor laughed softly. “I’ll give you what you need,” he reassured. “Let me take care of you.”

Shiro nodded, but he was trembling with the effort of just sitting still and letting Lotor work one slim finger in and out of him at such a glacial pace. 

“You know he’s just going to make you pay for that later, right?” Sendak asked from somewhere faraway. 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Lotor said. He looked directly into Shiro’s eyes. “Tell me how you’re going to get your revenge.”

It was then, of course, that he pulled his finger completely free before pressing two back into Shiro, twisting just so, forcing a moan out of him instead of any real words. 

It was almost disturbing how easily Lotor managed to hone in on his prostate, and Shiro had forgotten the question by the time Lotor asked, “Well?”

“Hn?” 

“How are you going to pay me back for being such a tease?” Lotor asked, pulling his fingers back to tease just Shiro’s rim. 

That made it a little easier to think. “Gonna…” He didn’t really know what sort of things Lotor would like, exactly. “Gonna...put you over my knee.” Did Galra use that expression? “Gonna spank you until you apologize.”

Lotor inhaled sharply. “Is that so?” His eyes were, if possible, even darker and more hungry. 

Shiro nodded.

“See?” Sendak asked. “Even Shiro knows what a naughty brat you are.”

Lotor glared over Shiro’s shoulder at Sendak, even as he added a third finger to Shiro’s entrance. Shiro moaned at the stretch, so if more words were exchanged, he completely missed them. 

Finally, Lotor pulled his fingers free entirely. “Alright, are you ready, my dear?”

Shiro’s flush renewed itself. He wasn’t sure why the pet name flustered him so much, but it did, and he couldn’t deny that he liked it. He nodded; he wanted Lotor, wanted to feel him in him, over him. 

Lotor carefully flipped them over, so that Shiro was on his back with Lotor between his thighs. 

Sendak pressed himself against Lotor’s back almost immediately, after pulling the robe the rest of the way off and discarding it somewhere. Lotor turned his head so he could kiss Sendak, and it was...surprisingly hot, to just  _ watch _ them. 

Especially with the way Lotor moaned into the kiss, the way Sendak’s hands -both his flesh hand and the smaller prosthetic one he wore in the Suite -roved over Lotor’s body, the way they both seemed to know exactly what got the other worked up. 

Shiro reached for Lotor’s waist. “ _ Please… _ ” 

“We haven’t forgotten about you,” Lotor soothed, smirking slightly. “Don’t worry.” He hiked one of Shiro’s legs up. “You ready for me?”

Shiro nodded, not trusting his voice as Lotor pressed the tip of his cock to his hole. 

It was...different, when Lotor began pressing in. Galra cocks were different, more tapered and less blunt, than human cocks, so there was a gradually increasing stretch and it was… not good or bad, really, just different.

At least until Lotor pushed the first ridge in.

“Holy  _ shit _ ,” Shiro wheezed. 

Lotor paused. “Shiro?”

“Keep going,” Shiro demanded. 

Lotor smirked. “As you wish.” He leaned down to kiss Shiro messily, rocking his hips forward at the same time. Another ridge popped in, and then another.

“H-how many?” Shiro managed to ask.

“Two more,” Lotor said. “Can you handle that?”

Shiro nodded vigorously. He was already so...full, so stimulated, that it felt like he was about to fly apart at the seams, but he  _ wanted _ anyway. 

Lotor worked the last two ridges in, and he and Shiro both trembled: Shiro, from trying to adjust and breathe and hold himself together, and Lotor from trying to hold himself still while Shiro adjusted (which Shiro did greatly appreciate).

“Mm,  _ fuck _ ,” Lotor muttered. “Feel so good, my dear.” 

Shiro clenched his eyes shut. It was so... _ much _ . 

“Are you ready?” Sendak asked Lotor quietly, and Shiro’s eyes flew open. Somehow… He’d forgotten about that. 

Lotor studied Shiro’s face for a moment. “Yes, I think so. What about you, Shiro? Are you ready?”

Shiro was going to combust. He nodded. 

He caught the exact moment Sendak began pressing into Lotor, just from the look in Lotor’s eyes, the way they widened and then fell shut, the way his ears drooped in obvious pleasure, the way he sunk his fang into his lower lip. 

He was  _ beautiful _ . 

“He is,” Sendak agreed, and Shiro realized he must have said that last bit out loud. 

Lotor was panting and moaning softly by the time Sendak was fully seated, and he couldn’t quite help the little jerks of his hips, which jostled his cock inside Shiro, but it felt good now, and Shiro was so ready for someone to start moving.

Lotor seemed to need a moment, though, so Sendak held him still, gently nuzzling the back and sides of his neck.

Before all of this, Shiro could never have imagined that Sendak -the fearsome Commander Sendak -had a soft side. He clearly did; he just didn’t show publically. This was something...special, only for those he cared about. 

“Look,” Sendak said, directing it at Shiro. He had a hand on Lotor’s hip, tapping one finger to indicate where Shiro should look.

_ And what a sight it was.  _

Lotor was in fantastic shape (leaner than Shiro, but it suited him well), so the bulge in his lower abdomen was clear-as-day. And then Sendak shifted a little, and Shiro realized…

Lotor was  _ so small _ , in comparison to Sendak, that his belly bulged from trying to accommodate his cock. 

“ _ Holy shit _ ,” Shiro breathed, reaching out to feel for himself, because he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. 

Lotor whined, shifting his hips a little, dragging one of the ridges on his cock back and forth over Shiro’s rim in a maddeningly pleasurable way. 

“Fuck me,” Shiro demanded.

“Are you ready, baby?” Sendak asked Lotor, and Lotor nodded. He seemed beyond words at this point, and no wonder. (It was pretty hot how Lotor went from suave and composed to needy and desperate in a matter of minutes, though.) 

Sendak pulled back, then thrust right back in, punching the breath out of Lotor; that, in turn, drove Lotor’s cock deeper into Shiro. 

The idea of it -that Lotor was merely a tool with which Sendak could fuck him -already had Shiro a few firm strokes away from coming; actually experiencing it was something else. 

It was no surprise that it didn’t last long. How could it? Lotor’s cock was big, and positioned just right, and Sendak was putting some force behind each thrust. That and Lotor’s pretty little noises, Sendak’s low growls… 

Lotor came first, throwing his head back and crying out as his hips jerked erratically. 

The sensation of Lotor coming inside him was enough to have Shiro coming untouched. 

Lotor went limp, practically collapsing on top of Shiro, and honestly, he didn’t mind. Sendak wasn’t quite finished, though, and he continued fucking Lotor, which made him squirm in overstimulation, which made his softening cock move inside Shiro…

It extended the pleasure, but it also hurt, like poking bruises, an aching pleasurable soreness that had Shiro whining and squirming, too. 

After a few more thrusts, Sendak came with a low growl, and he pulled out to collapse on the bed off to one side (thank god; Shiro had enough difficulty trying to catch his breath with Lotor on top of him). 

Lotor was still panting lightly, his head tucked under Shiro’s chin, and Sendak stroked his hair until he stopped shaking. 

“That was...intense,” Shiro said. 

“But good?” Sendak asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Shiro said. “Definitely good.”

Sendak kissed his cheek, and it was...surprisingly sweet. Or maybe not  _ surprisingly _ , given the way he treated Lotor, but… It was something Shiro hadn’t been expecting, and he hadn’t expected himself to enjoy it so much, but he did. 

Lotor gathered himself enough to roll off of Shiro. He stayed close by, though, curling up on Shiro’s other side and lazily nuzzling Shiro’s throat. 

Sendak sat up and opened something that looked vaguely like a toaster oven, taking out a...washcloth?

“Is that a towel warmer?” Shiro asked, incredulous. He’d half-forgotten that they were alien royalty, basically, and… Well, his Garrison salary had not afforded him many luxuries. 

Lotor rolled his eyes. “Some of us don’t like going to bed sticky.”

Shiro had expected Sendak to simply hand him the washcloth, but Sendak actually took the time to wipe his stomach and thighs clean, which was...very nice. The cloth was warm, too, and it was just so soothing that Shiro could barely keep his eyes open.

He watched Sendak do the same for Lotor, and then wipe himself off, before kissing Lotor on the cheek.

Then he laid back down on Shiro’s other side and kissed Shiro’s cheek again.

“Do you guys want me to stay?” He asked, not sure if he should stay, if they wanted him to stay. He didn’t want to overstep, despite the way Lotor flirted with him and called him ‘my dear’, the truce he and Sendak had now and the way Sendak had started purring, just a little, when he draped an arm over Shiro’s waist.

“There’s room for three, my dear,” Lotor murmured sleepily. He kissed Shiro’s other cheek, then rested his head on Shiro’s chest, also draping an arm over his waist. 

Shiro had never felt this safe and cared-for and wanted in his life. These last several years, he’d had a hard time figuring out what was the right place for him to be, but here… He didn’t have to wonder anymore. 


	8. Chapter 8

The witch, surprisingly, was easier to deal with than just about anything else, and by the time Lotor actually heard anything about it, it was over.

He could not help but be grateful for that; he’d had some rather…. uncomfortable suspicions about her over the years, and he did not want to confront them, under any circumstances, if he could avoid it.

Instead, Sendak handled it, and merely returned with the news, telling Lotor calmly and quietly and attentively.

Lotor just nodded, his mind oddly quiet for once. “Thank you for telling me,” he said, unsure what else to say. What else there was to say. 

His father was dead, the witch was dead, and now he was free. No one held power over him anymore, and he could just...be happy, and productive, and not have to hide and lie and mislead and sneak around anymore.

“Let’s get this off you,” Sendak said quietly, reaching for the collar around Lotor’s throat.

Lotor tilted his head to one side, to allow Sendak to find the clasp. 

The collar itself wasn’t heavy, but it still felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. It hadn’t been tight, but now his breathing seemed easier. 

“I’ve hated this thing since the beginning,” Sendak said, studying the collar for a moment, before tossing it aside. “It should have been you on the throne, Lotor. You deserve it, far more than I do, and if it hadn’t been for-“

Lotor stroked his cheek. “Darling… We’ve talked about this. It doesn’t matter which of us is on the throne, as long as we are together. Soon, we will announce our marriage, and I will become your consort, and all will be well.”

“And Shiro?”

“I think he might stay for a while.” Lotor moved over a little, so Sendak could sit next to him on the couch. “Would you like that?”

Sendak’s crest stood up a little, the way it did when he was mildly flustered. “...Yes,” he admitted. 

“I like him, too,” Lotor said, leaning up against Sendak’s side. Sendak draped an arm over him, pulling him that much closer. 

“Where is Shiro, anyway?” Sendak asked.

“He wanted another chance to explain to the Paladins,” Lotor said. “He’s been at it for some time.” 

It was, of course, at that moment that Shiro stormed out of his room (he’d been sleeping with them in the Imperial bed, but he liked his privacy from time-to-time), looking like he would have slammed the door if it were possible.

It wasn’t, so he just stomped across the room. “Why are they so fucking stupid!”

A question that had been burning in Lotor’s mind since Thayserix. “Come here,” he said, beckoning Shiro over. 

Over the last few weeks, Shiro had gotten much more comfortable with this in general and Sendak in particular, and had no trouble at all coming over and crawling into Sendak’s lap. 

Lotor rested his chin on Shiro’s shoulder. “What’s the matter, dearest?” 

“They’re going to try to steal the Lions.”

“The Lions aren’t going anywhere,” Sendak said firmly. 

Shiro sighed. “ _ I _ know that, and you both know that, but they won’t listen to me, so what am I supposed to do?” 

“Did they actually say that to you?” Lotor asked, trying somewhat unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter. 

Shiro snorted. “They’re not quite that dumb. But I could tell… that’s what they’re planning. Subtly was never really their strong suit.”

Sendak nuzzled the top of Shiro’s head, a somewhat thoughtless gesture of easy affection, and Shiro relaxed a little more. All indications of how comfortable they all were now. 

It was good. It was easy. There were times in Lotor’s life he’d been happier than he was right now, but not many; he could probably count them on both hands with fingers to spare. 

He didn’t realize he was purring until Shiro cocked his head, looking at him with a soft smile on his face. “You’re cute,” Shiro said, kissing his cheek.

“How dare you,” Lotor said. He snuggled closer to both of them, though. “When do you think they’ll make their attempt?”

It took Shiro a moment to reply: “Soon, probably. The next few days. But no earlier than tomorrow.”

“Let’s give them a golden opportunity, then,” Sendak said. “One they can’t resist.”

* * *

 

It seemed that Shiro was somewhat surprised by the depth of Sendak’s strategic ability, but Lotor wasn’t, of course. He’d been married to Sendak for eight thousand years, give or take; very little Sendak did could surprise him at this point. 

    So it didn’t take long for their plan to be put in place. 

Lotor’s hands shook a little as he prepared himself for the ceremony. Like most Galra ceremonies, it wasn’t a long, drawn-out thing, but he was still nervous. He wasn’t sure why, but… 

Well. 

“So,” Shiro said, “let me make sure I understand this correctly. You two have been married for…?”

“Eight thousand years,” Lotor said distantly. “Roughly.”

“Ok. So this isn’t a wedding.”

“No. This is just… me accepting responsibilities in addition to the responsibilities I accepted when I married him. It’s largely political. It won’t affect what goes on in here.”

“I wasn’t worried about that,” Shiro said. “I was just curious. I don’t know much about how Galra politics work.”

“Oh,” Lotor said. “No, I suppose maybe you wouldn’t. But it’s not as complicated as, say, Altean politics, although that might just be because I haven’t managed to piece together full transcripts-“

“Lotor, you’re rambling,” Shiro said gently, coming up behind him and carefully adjusting the drape of his cloak. 

“Sorry,” Lotor said. “I’m just-“

“Don’t be sorry,” Shiro said. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He kissed the side of Lotor’s neck, just below and behind one ear. “You’re gonna be great.”

“It’s not even going to be-  _ difficult _ ,” Lotor said. “I don’t know why-“

“It’s ok,” Shiro said. “It happens. Just…” He took Lotor by the shoulders and turned him around, so they were facing. “Remember that we love you, whatever happens, ok?”

Lotor blinked.  _ We _ ? “ _ We _ ?” He asked, incredulous and breathless and- He hadn’t felt like this since he’d told Sendak that he loved him for the first time. 

Shiro turned bright red, and he swallowed, and- He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away. “Yeah, I mean… Yeah. Is that-  _ ok _ ?”

“It’s perfect,” Lotor said, leaning down to kiss Shiro. 

After a moment, Shiro pushed him away. “Now go! He’s waiting for you.” He lowered his voice seductively, teasingly. “And I’ll be waiting for both of you when you’re done.”


	9. Chapter 9

Sendak was glad he had thousands of years of discipline to fall back on, because seeing Lotor come towards him like this, proud and beautiful and confident was… 

_ Incredible _ . 

He took Lotor’s hands in his when Lotor joined him at the front of the hall, unable to completely contain his grin. Lotor’s eyes shone with mirth and mischief.

They turned as one to face the assembled Galra.

“I am pleased to announce my marriage to Prince Lotor,” Sendak said. 

The hall was completely quiet for a moment, and then it was filled with uproar. Not surprising; Lotor had never been particularly popular, and many of those assembled here had likely been hoping to court Sendak themselves. 

Alas… Sendak had no interest in any of them. Why would he, when he had Lotor and Shiro? 

“Enough!” He said after a moment. “This is not a decision for which I need approval, nor have I asked. Prince Lotor is my husband, and you will respect him as such.”

He knew, without looking, that Lotor was flustered by this; he wasn’t used to having people openly support him like this. He’d have to get used to it, though; Sendak wasn’t about to let anyone disrespect ever again. 

“And,” Sendak continued, “if he accepts, you will respect him as my consort as well.”

Lotor knelt smoothly, taking Sendak’s hand in both of his, waiting expectantly. The love and devotion in his eyes wasn’t fake, and Sendak knew that it was reflected in his own expression. 

“Do you pledge to stand by my side through my reign, as you pledged to stand by my side when we were first wed?”

“I do.”

“Do you pledge to obey me as your Emperor and counsel me as your husband?”

“I do.” 

“Do you accept all the responsibilities and duties that will be expected of you, as the Prince Consort of the Galra Empire, as my right hand, as my closest and most trusted advisor?”

“I do.” 

“Then rise, my prince.” He helped Lotor to his feet and brought a hand up to his face to stroke his cheek for a moment, unable and unwilling to look away from Lotor’s eyes, brimming with happiness and love. 

After that unending moment, he gently guided Lotor forward, until their lips met in a kiss that was probably too risqué for the public setting, but Sendak didn’t care. He didn’t care if anyone saw how much he loved Lotor, how devoted he was to him… 

If anything, he wanted them to know, and never forget. After eight thousand years of having to hide, it was so freeing to be open about this, to be able to show off his lovely, perfect husband….

They parted, just a little, pressing their foreheads together for a moment.

“I love you,” Lotor murmured. “I love you so much. Thank you.”

“I love you, too,” Sendak replied.

They stayed like that for another moment, and then Sendak stepped back to retrieve the circlet he’d had made for Lotor. Lotor bowed his head to accept it with a unique grace, and the delicate band of metal was nearly overshadowed by Lotor’s own beauty (but just about anything would have been). 

Still, Sendak could not help but be pleased by the image before him, and the knowledge that Lotor was once more in a position worthy of him. (He should have been the Emperor, but… this would have to do.) 

They turned to face the assembled Galra, their hands joined, and Lotor squeezed his hand, just a little, as they all knelt. They might not like Lotor, but none of them were willing to risk Sendak’s wrath by refusing to show him proper respect.

Sendak squeezed back.

* * *

There was a feast afterwards; of course there was. This was an event to be celebrated, in grand fashion, and, of course, it made for an excellent decoy.

Lotor sipped at his wine, quite enjoying the festivities so far. He’d had just enough wine to be pleasantly warm all over, but he wasn’t really drunk, or even more than mildly impaired. 

After all, he wanted to be sober enough to enjoy the second part of this evening, and (assuming  everything else went well) the third, more private part. 

This was not a wedding feast, and therefore there was no expectation that they might attempt to sneak off early, although Lotor wanted to. If the hand that Sendak had on his thigh (slowly creeping further and further upwards) under the table was any indication, so did he. 

So perhaps they would, as soon as they had confirmation that their plan had worked. After all, Shiro was waiting for them. 

Lotor would never have willingly walked into such an obvious trap, but the mighty paladins of Voltron had proven time and again that they were willing to rush headlong even into the most evident of traps. The only difference this time was that they would not be able to use their Lions to force their way out of it. 

Sendak leaned closer -inappropriately close, some would have said -to murmur, “You’re in a good mood this evening.”

“Why should I not be?” Lotor asked lightly, before kissing Sendak. He probably shouldn’t have -that, too, was inappropriate -but he didn’t care. Sendak was his husband, and they didn’t have to hide anymore. “I could not have dreamed at such a happy end for us.”

“This is not the end,” Sendak said. “This is just the beginning.” 

Lotor smiled fondly, and was about to tease Sendak for being such a sap, when a Lieutenant hurried up to their seats. 

“Sire,” the Lieutenant said, sketching a quick bow, “the Paladins of Voltron have been captured.” 

Lotor’s smile only deepened as Sendak replied, “Bring them here.” 

The Paladins were summarily brought in, having been disarmed and shackled. Really, that was for their own safety; Lotor didn’t want them to die, but if fighting broke out, who knew what could happen? 

Allura’s glare deepened when she caught sight of Lotor at Sendak’s side. “You  _ traitor _ ,” she hissed. “You betrayed us!” 

Lotor merely raised an eyebrow. “Have I,” he said coolly. “Betrayal implies that we were on the same side, and you’ve made it quite clear that we never were. After all,  _ Princess _ , you are the one who tried to sell me out to my father, even after I warned you of what he would do to me. Even though I surrendered myself to you, even after I gave you all the information you asked for.”

She spluttered indignantly, and the new Black Paladin spoke up. “ _ Where’s Shiro? _ ” 

Sendak sighed next to him, and motioned a Lieutenant closer. “Fetch the former Black Paladin.” The Lieutenant hurried off. 

“He’s using you,” Allura tried again. “You have to know that, Lotor. He’s no better than the rest of them.”

“You don’t know anything,” Lotor said coldly. He would not have  _ Allura _ , especially, speak about Sendak like that. “And you  _ certainly _ don’t know anything about my husband.” 

It felt so good to finally say that out loud, that he only barely noticed her shocked silence.

Fortunately, that was when Shiro showed up. He tugged a little on his clothes, as if he’d dressed hurriedly (exactly how had he been waiting for them?), and stopped at Sendak’s other side. 

“ _ Shiro _ ,” the Black Paladin breathed.

“Keith,” Shiro said, a little sadly, a little resignedly. “I told you not to come.” 

“We had to get the Lions back,” the Red Paladin insisted. “We can’t just let  _ Lotor- _ “ 

“Enough!” Sendak snapped, standing. “It is clear you cannot be reasoned with, so here are your options: return to your planet and never leave it, or face death right here and now.”

Not a bluff; Sendak was still not happy about the prisoner exchange. 

“Whatever will you do now, Princess,” Lotor murmured. “You are nothing without Voltron. Shame that you had to show that to the highest echelons of the Galra Empire.” 

It would be difficult for anyone to take Voltron seriously after this, and that was part of this careful orchestration. 

“Shiro,” the Black Paladin said again, anguished. “How can you-?” 

Shiro sighed. “Keith, it’s- It’s complicated, and I don’t expect you to understand, but- This is where I want to be right now. Where I need to be right now. You guys should go home, alright? It can be over for you.”

There was a long silence, and finally the Black Paladin nodded. “Ok. Ok. Just- Be safe, ok?”

“You, too,” Shiro said, smiling fondly. 

“Why don’t you go with them to the hangar?” Sendak said to Shiro. “And wish them goodbye more privately.” 

Shiro nodded. “I’ll meet you guys back at the Suite, ok?”

“Take your time,” Lotor said. “We’ll wait for you.”

Louder, Sendak said, “Escort the Paladins back to their vessel.”

The Paladins were marched out, and Shiro followed along, and Lotor settled back into his seat. “It’s over, darling.”

“It is,” Sendak agreed, taking Lotor’s hand and bringing it to his lips so he could press soft kisses to Lotor’s knuckles.

The feasting -and the drinking -had resumed, so no one was paying too much attention to them. Lotor was tempted to slide into Sendak’s lap, but he refrained for now. “To the future,” he said instead.

“To the future,” Sendak murmured. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is just porn, tbh.

Sendak adjusted himself as he watched the scene unfold in front of him:

Lotor had accosted Shiro as soon as Shiro returned to the Suite (somehow, they’d managed to leave the feast before Shiro finished saying his goodbyes), kissing him and backing him into a wall, too quickly for Shiro to realize what Lotor was planning.

Sendak recognized the strategy, though, as Lotor had used it on him too many times to count. Part of him wished he was the one Lotor was pressing against the wall, but another part of him -the larger part -was content to watch, knowing what was coming next.

    Lotor sunk to his knees gracefully. His back was to Sendak, but he knew what expression he had on anyway: sultry, suggestive, and just wide-eyed enough to hint at an innocence he’d abandoned millennia ago. 

It didn’t hurt that he’d been in the process of undressing when Shiro returned, and now wore nothing more than a thin pair of black leggings, which, in all honesty, were probably a size too small for him. 

Shiro flushed red as he realized what Lotor was up to. It was kind of cute, the way his eyes widened, the way his blush went down to his chest and up to his ears.

Lotor paused with his hands on the catches that would free Shiro’s cock, glancing up at Shiro for permission. 

Shiro nodded -obviously; Lotor didn’t offer this often, and you’d have to be a fool to refuse him -and leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes closed, as Lotor freed his cock and took it into his mouth.

Sendak groaned a little, in memory of how good Lotor’s mouth felt, and palmed his cock.

Lotor was sitting back on his heels, his back arched just so, but then, he had to know that Sendak was watching. That Sendak  _ couldn’t _ look away, and was therefore putting on a show for him, putting his ass on display like that.

It was such a nice ass, too, perfectly round and just the right size for Sendak to hold and squeeze as he fucked him. 

He noticed Shiro’s hands scrabbling over the wall. “You can pull his hair,” he said casually. “He loves it.”

Lotor did, and always moaned so sweetly around his cock… 

Shiro tentatively threaded his fingers through Lotor’s hair and tugged lightly.

“Harder,” Sendak ordered. 

Shiro glanced up at him, then back down at Lotor; Lotor hummed an assent, so Shiro pulled harder.

They were rewarded by the sweet sound of Lotor’s choked-off moan, so Shiro did it again.

Sendak watched as he absently finished undressing. Honestly, just watching was exciting enough —the idea that Lotor might be inclined to put on this kind of show for him, and him alone…

(He imagined that humans had other, different sexual mores and therefore Shiro might not quite grasp just how...deviant this was, but he still seemed to be enjoying himself. And how could he not? Lotor was very talented.)

“Fuck his throat,” Sendak said.

He couldn’t see Lotor’s face from this angle, but he could see his ears prick straight up in shock, and then lower completely as he moaned.

Shiro looked straight at Sendak in shock. “Wha-?”

“Fuck his throat,” Sendak repeated. “He’ll appreciate it, won’t you, baby?”

Lotor moaned again, a little louder despite the cock in his mouth. Sendak had always wanted to try this, but he didn’t want to hurt Lotor in the process. Shiro, on the other hand, was more...reasonably sized; Lotor should be able to handle him no problem. 

“Fuck,” Shiro muttered,, letting his head drop back against the wall. “You guys are going to be the death of me.”                 

Lotor sat back, his ears twitching in irritation. “Well? Are you going to do it or not?” 

“Patience yields focus,” Shiro said, and Sendak didn’t have to see Lotor’s face to know he was glaring; he’d never been particularly patient during sex. 

Lotor seemed about to say something, but Shiro dragged him forward by the grip he had in his hair, forcing his cock down Lotor’s throat.

Lotor moaned. He liked being used roughly like this by people he knew cared for him. 

Sendak watched Shiro’s face while idly stroking his cock. He’d memorized the planes and valleys of Lotor’s back long ago, but Shiro’s body was an enigma, something in need of study in order to understand. 

Which was fine with Sendak; he didn’t mind putting in the time and effort.

He watched as Shiro’s jaw gradually went slack, as his brows pinched together, as his hips began stuttering in their rhythm. It wasn’t difficult to guess that he was creeping closer and closer to orgasm.

“Stop,” Sendak ordered. 

Shiro either hadn’t heard him, or just completely ignored the order, but Lotor pulled away (he was certainly strong enough to free himself from Shiro’s grip if he wanted) and sat back on his heels, turning to look expectantly at Sendak.

So he was in a mood to be rewarded tonight; he wasn’t always (although Sendak supposed that was at least partially his fault, for making those punishments so enjoyable for Lotor).

Shiro, meanwhile, whined a little and tried to pull Lotor back; Lotor laughed at him. “Patience yields focus, Shiro.”                                                  

Shiro glared.

“If you come now,” Sendak said reasonably, “you won’t get to fuck Lotor, and I think he’d really like you to.” 

Lotor shifted on his knees, his leggings doing absolutely nothing to conceal anything. “Please, Shiro?”

Shiro swallowed hard. “Yeah, yeah, sure,” he said hoarsely, “if that’s what you want…”

Lotor smirked, looking overly satisfied with himself. Of course he was pleased by this turn of events: he’d always liked sex, liked the way it made him feel. Had used it for a long time to fulfill his need for affection, before they’d been in a serious relationship. He liked it better when it was with someone who actually cared for him, someone who would take care of him -and even  _ love _ him -after. 

Lotor stood, gracefully stretching and putting his body on display. He knew he had their full attention, and he loved that, too. “And what about you, my darling?” He asked Sendak, pressing himself against Sendak’s chest and running one hand down and down and down-

Sendak was tempted to pin Lotor to the wall and have him just like that, but he had a plan -or part of one, anyway -so that would have to wait. 

He pulled Lotor’s hand away from his cock -he did not need any of Lotor’s teasing -and picked Lotor up to carry over to the bed. “After Shiro’s done with you, I think I’ll take my turn.”

Lotor’s eyes darkened. “ _ Oh _ .” 

“I thought you might like the idea,” Sendak said. He kissed Lotor -just a little peck -and set him down.

Lotor sprawled out elegantly, spreading his legs and lifting his hips to allow Sendak to remove his leggings.

He looked so good like this, that Sendak had to tell him. “You’re beautiful,” he said earnestly.

Lotor’s breath hitched as he looked away; Sendak took the opportunity to kiss his cheek and then settled himself behind Lotor, with Lotor sitting between his knees.

Shiro had undressed himself the rest of the way, so when Sendak moved out of the way, he settled himself between Lotor’s thighs (in Sendak’s experience, a  _ very _ nice place to be). “Where’s the lube?”

“You won’t need it,” Lotor murmured. He hitched one leg up and grabbed Shiro’s wrist, guiding his hand between his legs.

“What-  _ Oh _ . When-?” Shiro was back to being bright red.

Lotor laughed. “Earlier. I didn’t want to waste time.”

“A shame,” Sendak drawled. “I would have liked to watch.” 

“Next time, if you’re good, maybe I’ll even let you help,” Lotor said. 

“If  _ I’m _ good?” Sendak asked incredulously.

Lotor pouted, so Sendak nipped his ear, which had his eyes fluttering shut as he moaned helplessly.

So terribly predictable, and yet so cute. “That’s it, baby. No need to be in a mood tonight, is there? You’re going to get everything you want, and then some.” 

“I like the sound of that,” Lotor murmured. “Come here, Shiro, give me what I want.” His eyes darted down Shiro’s body suggestively, and Sendak followed his gaze.

Shiro was nicely muscled -broader than Lotor - and well-built. He obviously  kept himself fit, and while he wasn’t Galra… It would be fun to tease out all the little mysteries of his human body. 

His eye trailed down lower, to Shiro’s cock. Not very similar to any Galra cocks Sendak had seen, but it was a good size for his body, and  _ thick _ , from root to tip, in a way that Galra cocks were not. 

Lotor shifted a little, drawing his thighs further apart, half invitation and half demand. 

Shiro took his time lining himself up, shamelessly studying Lotor’s body -Sendak could hardly blame him for that - and making small sounds of appreciation. 

Really, that was the least Sendak could ask for. If he was going to share Lotor with anyone, he wanted them to appreciate Lotor at least as much as he did. Possibly more, but that was likely impossible. 

Lotor gasped as Shiro began pressing in. It was one of the sweetest sounds he ever made, and Sendak would have like the swallow it down, but the angle was wrong. 

He contented himself with marking up Lotor’s neck and nipping his ears, helping Shiro bring Lotor to a state of pure bliss.

(Sendak loved pampering Lotor like this, giving him pleasure beyond pleasure, leaving him a sleepy sated mess.) 

Shiro stopped when he was fully seated, his eyes tightly shut. Sendak could sympathize; he knew just how good Lotor looked like that.

“Please,” Lotor breathed, “please, Shiro, please move-“ 

He writhed a little until Sendak gripped his hip. “Give him a minute, baby. You’re too pretty like this.”

Lotor made the neediest sound in the back of his throat, like he might die if he wasn’t fucked right that second; Sendak’s cock  _ throbbed _ , and Shiro groaned. 

“Alright, fuck,” Shiro said. “You ready?”

Lotor nodded vigorously, even as he reached for Sendak’s hand. Sendak brought their entwined hands to his lips and kissed Lotor’s knuckles.

Watching someone else fuck Lotor was… really hot, if Sendak was being honest. Shiro didn’t know Lotor’s body very well yet, but he did his best and he learned quickly, paying attention to what made Lotor moan, and what made him  _ scream _ . 

There were none of Lotor’s dramatics and airs tonight; every sound he made was genuine and unpracticed, unguarded reactions to the pleasure Shiro was giving him.

Shiro was much quieter, but as Sendak could see his face, he knew that Shiro was enjoying this also. How could he not? 

Lotor quieted down as he got closer to his climax, too breathless to make much noise. He pulled Shiro closer, pressing their foreheads together -they were both too breathless for kissing right now -and a few more thrusts had Lotor coming, struggling so beautifully between them.

Shiro hesitated, glancing up at Sendak for direction.

“Keep going,” Sendak said. “Cum in him.”

Shiro moaned breathlessly and nodded, picking his pace back up, thrusting without rhythm, chasing his own climax. 

It didn’t take much longer, and when Shiro was done, he stayed on top of Lotor, catching his breath. “You ok?”

“Perfect,” Lotor murmured, stroking Shiro’s hair. “Did you mean what you said earlier, before the ceremony?” 

“Yeah. I love you, Lotor.”

“I love you, too, Shiro.” He kissed Shiro sweetly, languidly, the way he did only after good sex.

Sendak was content to wait a little longer; Lotor probably needed a minute or two anyway. 

Once, when he was much younger, he would have been consumed by jealousy at this, but now he was relieved, and grateful, and… in love. 

He was glad that, if something should happen to him, Lotor wouldn’t be alone. Lotor had been on his own for too long, and he didn’t flourish like that, so it was for the best that he have someone he loved and who loved him in return. 

In time, maybe he’d come to love Shiro too -he was already fond of him, and attracted to him; these things just took time - but for now this was enough, and if Lotor was happy…

“I love you, too,” Lotor murmured, turning and addressing Sendak. “I haven’t forgotten you.”

“I know.” He kissed Lotor’s cheek. “I love you, too.” 

Lotor smiled, then gently pushed Shiro off of him. “Do you want to watch, dearest?”

“Would that be ok?” Shiro asked.

“It’s alright with me,” Sendak said, and honestly- the idea of Shiro  _ watching _ while he took Lotor apart was… 

“Wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want you to,” Lotor said, stretching in such a way that he pressed his ass right against Sendak’s cock. “Are you sure I can’t tempt you into another round? I want to know what you taste like.” 

Shiro swallowed, hard, and his cock, while soft, twitched against his thigh. “Maybe- maybe some other time.”

Lotor sighed melodramatically. 

“You know,” Sendak drawled, “there are...recreational drugs used for such situations, and just because Lotor’s not allowed to take them anymore-“

“That’s an overreaction,” Lotor pouted.

“-Doesn’t mean you couldn’t give them a try. If you wanted, of course.”

“Why isn’t Lotor allowed to take them?” Shiro asked, concerned. 

“They’re aphrodisiacs,” Sendak said bluntly. “He’s already an insatiable little monster, and after a vacation on a resort planet, trust me: it’s for the best that he doesn’t take them ever again.”

Shiro’s eyes widened. “ _ Oh _ .”

“Mm.”

“We had a good time,” Lotor grumbled.

“You couldn’t walk right for a month,” Sendak said, “not to mention that we can’t show our faces in that sector ever again.” 

“I don’t think anyone cared about seeing your  _ face _ ,” Lotor muttered. 

Sendak nipped his ear. “It’s for your own good, baby.”

Lotor huffed, and Sendak decided it was time to do something about his sour mood. In one smooth motion, he flipped them over, pinning Lotor to the bed beneath him. 

Lotor struggled ineffectually as Sendak mouthed at his neck and ears and shoulders -everywhere he could reach, basically - until Lotor went limp in defeat. “I thought you were going to fuck me?”

“I did, didn’t I,” Sendak murmured, like it actually had slipped his mind. He sat back, his hands framing the small of Lotor’s back, bracketing his hips just so perfectly, like they had been made for each other… 

He dug his thumbs into the muscle of Lotor’s ass -so firm and round -just to hear Lotor’s pleased sigh, his earlier mood forgotten entirely. 

And then he moved lower, pulling Lotor’s cheeks apart and exposing his entrance, slick with lube and Shiro’s cum, which was just starting to leak out in thick dribbles. 

Sendak used one thumb to push it back into Lotor.

“ _ Sendak _ ,” Lotor whined. 

“Hush,” Sendak said. “You wouldn’t want to make a mess, would you?”

“Just- just get on with it already!” 

“Alright, baby.”  He pulled Lotor into his lap, the prosthetic on his hip holding him steady while he placed his other hand on Lotor’s throat. Not hard enough to choke him, or even mildly restrict his breathing; just hard enough for Lotor to know it was there. 

He lowered Lotor slowly -probably too slowly for Lotor’s liking -onto his cock, groaning at how good it felt to finally,  _ finally _ be inside Lotor, after all this waiting -the ceremony, the feast, everything else. 

Lotor rolled his hips just so, and then they were fully joined, both shuddering at the surprising intensity of it. 

Maybe it was because they both knew that Shiro was watching from his place at the head of the bed, bonelessly sprawled out and bright-eyed. 

Sendak started moving, rocking his hips up while he pulled Lotor down, building a steady rhythm.

It was good -it always was with Lotor, somehow -and then Lotor twisted just enough to kiss Sendak, open-mouthed and messy and desperate. 

“Sendak, Sendak, please,” Lotor begged. 

“Shh… I’ve got you.” He wasn’t going to last long, either; Lotor’s lithe, hot body simply too... _ perfect _ . He found that sensitive place underneath Lotor’s jaw and bit.

Lotor came, writhing in his lap and bringing Sendak along with him.

“I love you,” Sendak murmured breathlessly, because he felt the need to remind Lotor in that very moment, “I love you, I love you.” 

It took Lotor a moment to recover his breath, and when he did, he turned enough to rub his cheek against Sendak’s. “I love you, too.”

He tried to lift himself off of Sendak’s cock, but -much to Sendak’s smug delight -he didn’t quite seem to have the strength for it. “Here, let me help you,” Sendak said, easily lifting Lotor out of his lap and setting him face-down on the bed.

Lotor tried to push himself up on his hands, but Sendak kept his down with a firm hand on the middle of his back. “Stay still for a moment.”

Lotor made a questioning noise, but he sounded sleepy. 

Sendak reached over to the bedside table and retrieved a small plug. He showed it to Shiro with a mischievous smirk, and Shiro’s eyes widened, then darkened, and he nodded.

Sendak pushed the plug into Lotor, giving it a small tug to make sure it was seated properly.

Lotor jerked, probably oversensitive, then relaxed with a small sigh. 

“So, about that aphrodisiac,” Shiro said, stretching out on Lotor’s other side. 

Lotor grumbled a little.

“It seems we finally managed to wear him out,” Sendak said. “I think that will have to wait for some other time.” 

Shiro smiled a little -perhaps at the idea there would be another time for this - and stroked Lotor’s hair back from his face. “I can stay, right?”

“Of course,” Lotor murmured, half-asleep already.

“Stay as long as you wish, General,” Sendak said, watching the surprise and awe wash over Shiro’s face. “There’s a place for you here.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s it for now, but as always- if y’all have any good ideas, I could be persuaded to revisit ;)   
> (That’s why this fic is ten chapters long, when it was originally supposed to be a one-shot lol)

**Author's Note:**

> I’m always open to getting suggestions/requests in my ask box here, or @devilsofficialfanfic on tumblr.  
> If I have to fill the lodak tag myself I will.


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